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Training Your Australian Shepherd Puppy to Sit

Training your Australian Shepherd puppy to sit — is as easy as 1,2,3! That inquisitive look... that furry face... it's easy to fall in love with an Aussie puppy! Luckily, it's also easy to train one!

Australian Shepherds, or "Aussies", as they're affectionately called - are very intelligent dogs. Since they tend to be smarter than most other breeds, they are easier to train than other breeds.

But their intelligence isn't the only trait that makes Aussies easy to train. Aussies also love to be near their families. To them, nothing beats some quality time! So, the time that you spend training your Australian Shepherd puppy will be time that they enjoy. As long as you resort to positive dog training techniques - and avoid things like yelling, being aggressive, or using punishment - your Aussie puppy will view training as a happy experience.

Training your puppy to sit is the ideal first command, because it is the most basic command. Once your puppy has mastered the art of sitting, you can move on to things like "stay", "fetch", or anything else that you want your puppy to learn!

So, how do you actually teach your Australian Shepherd puppy to sit? It's as easy as following these 3 steps:

1. Find a quiet place for Aussie Puppy Training

Aussies - especially Aussie puppies - are full of energy. In order to keep them focused on your training session, you will need to put them somewhere quiet that doesn't have a lot of distractions. If you have children or other dogs living in your home, keep them away during your training sessions. After all, you want your Aussie's attention squarely on you!

2. Put your puppy on a leash, and tell him to sit

Be sure to say the word "sit" calmly. If you are firm or aggressive, you will only teach your puppy to be afraid of you.

As you tell your Aussie puppy to sit, gently push down on his backside. When he sits down with your help, give him a treat and praise him. Your Aussie puppy can enjoy a variety of treats for his work. You can give him anything from a milkbone, to a little piece of chicken, to a small chunk of hot dog.

Delene Johnson

Training your Australian Shepherd puppy to sit is a fundamental building block for a well trained Aussie.

Above: This is Bing Merle Johnson at 14 weeks. His first real experience with snow.

Before you give your puppy his treat, though, make sure that he spends a few seconds sitting. If he jumps up right away, pull the treat away. In order to make the training stick, you want your puppy to know exactly what he's being rewarded for!

3. Repeat the process

You may have to push on your puppy's backside a few times before he gets the hang of it. However, since Aussies are so smart, it won't take your puppy long to realize that whenever he sits down, he gets praise and a treat. Since Aussies love to be the center of attention, he will do whatever it takes to keep those rewards coming!

Of course, teaching your Australian Shepherd puppy to sit is just the beginning. Add more commands and keep your training sessions fun for both you and your puppy and be consistent. It will pay huge dividends in the long run.

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