Sit. Stay. Fetch. Of all these commands, perhaps the "sit" command is the most important one. A dog owner who can train his dog to regularly sit on command gains the respect of his dog, and paves the way for your dog to learn further commands, such as "stay," "heel," and "leave".

Stage 1

Try this basic four-step program to train your dog to sit:

1. Hold a treat in your fingers where your puppy can see it in front of his face.

2. Hold the treat over the dog's head so that as she follows the treat, he automatically sits.

3. As he moves into the sitting position, give the SIT command.

4. Give him the treat once he has sat down correctly.

Stage 2

You can train your dog to sit more formally by using the following 5-step method.

1. Place a collar and leash on your puppy.

2. Stand next to and to the right of your puppy so that you are BOTH facing the same direction, and the puppy is on your left.

3. AT the same time as giving the command, "Spot..SIT," push the dog's hindquarters (just above the tail) down while keeping the leash upright and tatu. If you are having difficulty, you may need to hold on to his collar to maintain your dog's concentration and to prevent him from running away.

4. Try to have your dog remain in the sit position for around 10 seconds. Repat the command "Sit" over and over while he is sitting to reinforce the command. ALWAYS MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT WITH YOUR DOG.

5. Finally, release him by using the command "Okay". Be generous in your praise.

Session Length

To develop a solid training program, we recommend you spend 15 minutes per day for 3-5 days in a row for the first stage. Do 3 sessions of 5 minutes each, so your dog doesn't get bored and frustrated. After about 5 days you can follow the same schedule for the second stage of the "sit" command.

Finally, remember that the 'stay' command is an integral part of the whole training schedule. Learning this command is important for safety purposes, as well as for developing a strong bond of trust and respect between dog and owner. It may not be easy, and requires a lot of patience, but the effort is worth taking.