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Core positions

Teach sit and down without hand dependency

Lure the first version, then fade the food and add a spoken cue only after the behavior is reliable.

Best forFoundations
Session3–6 min
LevelEasy

Goal

What success looks like

Your dog responds to a spoken or hand cue without a visible treat in your hand.

Visual method

See the sequence before you practice

Show the two target positions before you practice: hips down for sit, elbows and belly down for down.

Dog sitting with hips on the floor.
Sit: guide the nose up and back. Reward when the hips reach the floor.
Dog lying with elbows and belly on the floor.
Down: guide the treat toward the floor. Reward when the elbows lower.

Complete method

One session, start to finish

  1. 01

    Set up

    Use soft treats that can be delivered quickly and swallowed easily.

  2. 02

    Warm up

    Repeat one skill your dog already knows for 30 to 60 seconds.

  3. 03

    Teach

    Hold a treat near your dog’s nose and slowly move it back over their head. When their hips touch the floor, mark and reward.

  4. 04

    Reward

    Mark the exact behavior, then deliver the reward within one second.

  5. 05

    Repeat

    Do three to five easy repetitions. If two cues are missed, make the task easier.

  6. 06

    Advance

    Your dog responds to one spoken or hand cue in eight of ten easy repetitions, in two different rooms, without a treat visibly leading them.

  7. 07

    Finish

    Use your release cue, reward one easy win, and end while your dog is still engaged.

Before you begin

Set up for an easy win

  • Use soft treats that can be delivered quickly and swallowed easily.
  • Work on a non-slip surface in a quiet room.
  • Keep the treat small enough that several rewards do not fill your dog up.
  • Choose a release cue such as “Free” or “Break.”

Step by step

How to teach it

  1. 01

    Shape the first sit

    Hold a treat near your dog’s nose and slowly move it back over their head. When their hips touch the floor, mark and reward.

  2. 02

    Move the treat to the other hand

    Make the same motion with an empty luring hand while holding the reward in your other hand. Mark, then reward from the other hand.

  3. 03

    Add a hand signal

    Use the empty hand motion before the behavior and reward after it. Keep your body quiet so the hand signal stays clear.

  4. 04

    Name the behavior

    After several successful repetitions, say “Sit” just before the hand signal. Use the word once, then help only if needed.

  5. 05

    Build down from sit

    From a sit, move a treat slowly from your dog’s nose toward the floor and slightly away. Mark the moment their elbows and belly lower, then reward.

  6. 06

    Release deliberately

    Reward the position, pause for one second, then say your release cue and invite movement. This prevents the dog from popping up as soon as they see the treat.

Success checkpoint

You are ready to add difficulty when…

Your dog responds to one spoken or hand cue in eight of ten easy repetitions, in two different rooms, without a treat visibly leading them.

When progress stalls

Common problems and fixes

My dog backs up instead of sitting.

Move the treat more slowly and keep it closer to the nose. Practice near a wall or with your dog’s rear end naturally close to the floor.

My dog lies down when I ask for sit.

Practice the two cues separately for a few sessions. Reward the first correct movement and reset before repeating.

My dog only performs when food is visible.

Keep the reward behind your back, use an empty cue hand, and reward after the behavior. Do not rush the cue before the movement is reliable.

Trainer note

Keep the reward placement calm. Tossing a treat can turn a settled position into a chase game before you have finished the repetition.