Teaching your dog “Say Please By Sitting” is a great way help teach your dog some self-control and help you find a kind and helpful way to provide guidance and leadership.This exercise adds structure to your day and sets ground rules for every interaction with your dog.  Setting (and sticking to) ground rules can make your life more peaceful and can help form a life for your dog that is consistent and shows them what to expect.

First, your dog needs to know how to sit!

1)Take a treat and place it directly on your dog’s nose, like a magnet.

2)Slowly lift the treat UP and BACK (over their head, as if you were going to put it between their ears), luring your dog’s nose along with the food.

3) Your dog’s head should move up and back, and his butt will move towards the ground.
When his butt hits the ground, mark with a click or “YES!” and follow with a treat
(Click/Treat). Don’t say any cues for now…just stay quiet and let your dog figure out what you want!

Saying Please

Any time your dog wants something (food, treats, attention), your dog must first SIT. It sounds so simple and basic, but it really can change things around! If your dog wants you to pet them, ask them to sit. If you want to give your dog a treat, ask them to sit. If your dog wants to go outside, ask them to sit….. and so on. When you first begin, you may have to ask them or lure them into sitting, but after a few weeks of consistently asking for your dog to sit before ANY interaction with them, they should begin to automatically sit when they want something. The sitting becomes their way of saying “Please!”