Sit

The “sit” cue is a fundamental behavior that helps manage your dog in various situations. It provides a polite way for your dog to stay stationary, preventing jumping or excessive excitement. For example, you can ask your dog to sit while greeting visitors, before crossing the street, or during feeding time. Sit is often a precursor to more advanced cues, making it a building block for further training. 

Sit can sometimes be overused, though. Sometimes it becomes a default command for everything — calming a dog, stopping unwanted behaviors, or gaining focus. This can dilute its effectiveness and doesn’t always address the root of the issue. Overuse of “sit” can also be physically uncomfortable for some dogs, like puppies or seniors, and isn’t always appropriate for the situation. Instead, teaching a variety of cues — like “settle,” “wait,” or “go to your mat”/place — can be more effective and help your dog learn exactly what you want in different scenarios.