Q: Why should I teach my dog to sit?
A: Teaching your dog to sit may seem very basic, but a ‘sit’ is actually one of the most important things for your dog to learn.
Teaching your dog to sit on cue is very simple and is a good exercise to do to prevent other unwanted behaviours. Think of it as one way to teach your dog to have good manners and self-control.
Sitting also helps to lay the foundation for teaching other behaviours, it helps a dog to focus, and takes his mind off any other distractions, as you are giving him something else to do.
You can ask your dog to sit to prevent him jumping all over you when you arrive home, before being fed, before throwing a ball, to calm down an over-excited dog, if he’s about to run out the door, before getting out of the car, when being weighed at the vet – there is a long list!
So, teaching your dog to sit reliably in a host of different scenarios is hugely beneficial for both of you.
Alyson Kingsley-Hall, behaviourist
