Hey…. we all like positive reinforcement.
If you want him to sit but you don’t offer something that he really likes, he’ll walk away and do something that’s far more interesting. Show a little treat that holds his attention, and he’ll be incentivized to respond positively. Below are additional steps that you can follow:
- While your dog is standing, hold a treat to her nose.
- Slowly lift the treat over their head towards the rear end. As your dog lifts her head to follow the treat, her bottom should drop to the ground. That’s a sit!
- As soon as your dog is sitting, mark the action with a verbal affirmation like “Yes!” and offer the treat.
If your dog happens to sit on his own (without being commanded) reinforce the behavior with a reward. Once he associates a sit with a reward, he’ll be more inclined to reliably sit on command when asked.