Training Tips: 12 reasons to teach a dog to sit

If you teach your dog one thing, how to sit on command would be a good place to start.

I remember when I first adopted my Lab mix Ace, it was difficult to communicate with him because he had no concept of his name or any basic commands. Just wiping his muddy paws was a challenge since he didn’t understand I wanted him to hold still. Teaching Ace to sit was the first concept I taught him, and it helped build a foundation for future training.

The following are 12 reasons to teach a dog to sit:

1. To prevent jumping when people come to the door.

2. To get better photos.

3. For better control when managing multiple dogs.

4. To reward calm behavior before a walk.

5. To reward calm behavior before feeding the dog.

6. To distract from other dogs on a walk.

7. To reward calm behavior at the dog park.

8. To keep the dog still and calm at the vet or groomers.

9. To encourage polite dog-to-dog greetings.

10. To encourage your dog to pay attention to you.

11. It’s a foundation for more advanced training.

12. It can be used to keep your dog out of the way.

What are some other uses for the sit command?