Teach Your Puppy to Sit

If you’re bringing up a new puppy, teaching them to sit is probably one of the first things on your list—and for good reason. “Sit” is a basic skill that helps your dog focus, stay calm, and navigate daily life with more ease. Whether you’re putting on a leash, greeting a guest, or waiting at a crosswalk, when you teach your puppy to sit, everything goes more smoothly.

But for many new dog parents, getting your puppy to sit on command isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. Maybe your pup gets too excited, doesn’t seem to understand what you’re asking, or sits only when they feel like it. That’s completely normal—and it doesn’t mean your puppy is stubborn or untrainable.

At Maniac Mutts, we help Portland-area families build lasting foundations with their dogs using positive, effective training methods. We take the stress out of training by giving you real-life tools that actually work, and we’ll guide you through each step so you never have to guess.

If you’re ready to stop repeating yourself and start making progress, you’re in the right place.

Why “Sit” Matters More Than You Might Think

When you teach your dog to sit, you’re not just showing off a party trick—you’re teaching one of the most useful behaviors in everyday life. A sit can help your dog stay still long enough to clip on a leash, keep all four paws on the floor when someone walks in, and redirect their energy before they get too wild.

It’s also the building block for other skills like waiting, staying, and greeting people politely. Best of all, it’s a behavior that helps your dog feel calm and successful. When you practice it with consistency and kindness, it becomes more than a command—it becomes a shared language between you and your dog.

But puppies don’t learn this overnight. That’s where we come in.

Our Positive Training Approach

At Maniac Mutts, we don’t believe in harsh corrections, force, or making your dog submit. We believe in communication, cooperation, and setting your puppy up for success from the start.

When we work with your dog on sit, we begin by keeping things simple and pressure-free. You’ll learn how to get your dog to sit by using a combination of body language, verbal cues, and timing. We show you how to guide your dog into a sitting position by holding a treat just above their nose, letting their natural movement do the work for you.

As soon as they sit, you’ll reward your dog with praise and a treat. This helps them connect the action with the outcome: sitting calmly gets good things.

We also teach a consistent hand signal to pair with the verbal cue, which gives your puppy a visual prompt they can learn to recognize. Over time, they’ll respond to both your voice and your signal, making it easier to communicate in different situations.

Our training is always tailored to your puppy’s age, energy level, and environment. Whether you have a bouncy baby dog who won’t stop moving or a shy pup who needs a confidence boost, we’ll meet them where they are and adjust the plan to fit.

Common Challenges We Help You Solve

If you’ve already tried teaching “sit” and it’s not going well, you’re not alone. We work with families every day who are facing the same kinds of issues:

You might be holding a treat and saying “sit,” but your puppy just stares at you—or bounces all over the place. Maybe your dog sits sometimes, but only when they feel like it. Or maybe they sit at home but not when you’re out in the world.

We help you troubleshoot all of this and more. You’ll learn how to improve your timing, how to motivate your dog effectively, and how to fade out the lure (food in the hand) once the behavior is learned. We’ll also teach you how to strengthen the sit in different locations, so your puppy learns it’s not just a living room trick—it’s something they can do anywhere.

Why Choose Maniac Mutts?

Maniac Mutts was founded to give dogs—and their humans—a better way to communicate, connect, and live together in harmony. We believe dog training should never be about dominance or control. It should be about building a relationship based on trust, respect, and fun.

We specialize in helping new dog parents navigate the early months with confidence and clarity. Whether you’re brand new to puppy training or you’ve already tried a few things that didn’t work, we’ll meet you with empathy, patience, and practical guidance.

We don’t just teach your dog new skills. We help you understand how your dog learns, so you can continue building great habits long after the training sessions are done.