It’s important to know how to train a Husky to sit.
While it’s vital for all dogs to know basic commands, including sit, for Huskies, it’s even more so.
Below, we’ll learn why; then we’ll look at exactly how to teach them the command.
Let’s get started!
Related: Can you train a husky to be off leash
Table of Contents
Why Training a Husky to Sit is So Important
Huskies are great dogs; they’re a breed full of intelligence, energy, and a zest for life.
However, their high energy and exuberant nature make them chronic, habitual jumpers.
They just love everyone and everything. They’ll jump on adults, kids, toddlers, and even other dogs.
Heck, they’ll bowl over babies if you’re not careful.
While none of this is done with malice, the fact remains that Huskies are powerful, and they aren’t small.
Jumping on anyone, especially the elderly or the very young, or other dogs, especially small ones, can lead to injury.
That’s why knowing how to train a Husky to sit is vital for every owner of this energetic working breed.
How to Train a Husky to Sit: Considerations Before Starting
There are a few things to consider before jumping right into training your guy to sit.
You’ll want to think about his age, his breed, and some general guidelines for training.
There are some general guidelines that work for any dog, and then there are some breed-specific things to keep in mind when training your Husky.
Related: How to train a husky to come
When to Begin Training a Husky Puppy to Sit
Puppies are always learning. From the time they’re born, their minds soak up information.
Potty training is a form of training and we begin that process very early with our dogs.
While young puppies have short attention spans, they can be taught basic commands like “sit”, “down”, and “stay” as early as 7 to 8 weeks of age.
The traditional thought process has been to delay formal training until about 6 months of age, but this is not ideal.
It’s been shown that beginning training earlier when our puppies are little information sponges, is actually a better course of action than waiting for the arbitrary age range of 6 months or older.
Training an Adult Husky to Sit
Contrary to the popular saying, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Training an older Husky is just like training a Husky puppy.
The main difference is that it might take your older dog a little longer to pick up the command.
In addition, you might also have to correct some bad habits that your Husky has developed throughout puppyhood and into adulthood.
That being said, with patience and lots of positive reinforcement, it’s completely doable.
One thing to note is that if you have an elderly Husky, you’ll want to keep his physical limitation in mind if you’re trying to teach him to sit.
If he has bad or achy joints, he might not sit in the traditional fashion, and that’s fine.
As long as his butt is mostly on the floor, whatever position he’s comfortable in is the “sit” position.
Breed-Specific Considerations
Remember, Huskies are highly intelligent and highly independent. Those two traits combine to make training a Husky an exercise in patience at times.
Your Husky will most likely attempt to cut out the actual training part of your sessions by simply going toward the treat.
After all, he’s a high-speed breed trained to think on his feet. Why would he wait?
Keep cool and keep your patience, always reinforcing advancements and ignoring mistakes.
Speaking of ignoring mistakes, while you should never use negative reinforcement with any breed, it’s even more imperative that you don’t use it with Huskies.
Again, this is a smart breed. Negative reinforcement only teaches your Husky to fear you.
It won’t make him learn any faster. In fact, it will drastically slow down the process.
Do’s and Don’ts of How to Train a Husky to Sit
- DO keep training sessions very short for puppies
- DON’T try to push training past your puppy’s attention span limits
- DO use positive reinforcement
- DON’T scold or use any negative reinforcement
- DO praise your Husky liberally when he gets it right
- DON’T give any attention at all to mistakes
- DO embrace consistency and practice daily
- DON’T miss sessions unless absolutely necessary
- DO practice in a quiet area free of distractions
- DON’T set your pup up for failure by practicing in a distracting locations
- DO remember to be patient
- DON’T allow yourself to get frustrated
How to Train a Husky to Sit – Three Methods
There are three basic answers to how to train a husky to sit: the treat method, the click method, and the hand signal method.
All three of these are variations on the same theme, so choose the one that fits both you and your dog.
Whichever you choose, your pup should pick it up relatively quickly.
After that, it’s all about refining the process of what he already knows.
The Treat Method
- Get His Attention: To being, get your pup’s attention by showing him a treat. Once he is focused on you, give him the treat. After that, show him another treat. Don’t give it to him, though. It’s time to start the training process.
- Hold the Treat: Hold the treat close to your puppy’s nose and let him sniff it for a second. Only let him sniff it. Don’t give it to him yet.
- Lead Him with the Treat: After letting your pup sniff the treat for a few seconds, take it, and hold it over your puppy’s nose. Then, begin moving it slowly back over his muzzle toward his head.
- Let Him Follow: As this delicious object moves further from your pup’s nose, he’ll most likely move his rear toward the floor as he follows the treat as it moves over his head. As he does this, he’ll eventually end up in a seated position.
- Give the “Sit” Command: As your Husky follows the treat over his head and begins the sitting motion, give the “sit” command.
- Positive Reinforcement: As soon as your Husky’s hind end is on the floor, give him a treat and reward him liberally.
- Repeat: Repeat this entire process again, beginning with giving him a treat to get his attention and all the way through praising him for sitting.
- Practice Without Treats: After a few days of food luring, begin giving him the “sit” command without a treat in your hand. When he sits, reward him with a treat and lots of praise.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: After your puppy has mastered sit in his training area, begin to practice with him in other rooms and areas, gradually transitioning to places that have more distractions to help him learn how to sit no matter where you are.
The Click Method
- You Sit First: Sit in front of your Husky and say his name to get his attention. When he looks at you, click your clicker and give him a treat. Repeat this process until your dog associates the clicker with the treat.
- Hold the Treat: Hold a treat close to your puppy’s nose and let him sniff it. Remember, don’t give it to him.
- Give the “Sit” Signal: Hold your other hand, palm facing up, over your pup’s head. This is the hand signal for “sit”. As you do this give the “sit” command.
- Lead Him with the Treat: As you did in the previous method, begin moving the treat over your pup’s muzzle and toward his head.
- The Sit: As your puppy follows the treat, he’ll lift his chin and sit to avoid walking backward or falling over.
- Click and Treat: As soon as your pup’s bottom touches the floor, click your clicker and give him a treat.
- Repeat: Repeat the above steps several times, clicking and treating each time your pup sits.
- Practice Without Treats: As before, you’ll eventually move on to practicing the hand signal and command without a treat to lure him. Again, click and praise when he’s successful.
- Practice Everywhere: Just like before, after your pup become proficient, begin giving him the command in other areas of the house, outside, and anywhere else you can think of.
The Hand Signal Method
- Treat in Hand: Show your puppy a treat and then place it in the palm of your hand.
- Hold up Your Hand: Hold the treat hand over your Husky’s nose. He’ll be able to smell the treat.
- Raise Your Hand: Slowly raise your hand above your pup’s nose.
- Following His Nose: Your Husky’s nose will follow your hand and point up as he follows the scent of the treat.
- Move Your Hand Back: As your Husky points his nose up, slowly move your treat hand toward your pup’s back.
- The Sit: As your puppy leans back to follow the treat in your hand, he’ll sit to avoid falling over.
- Praise: As soon as your Husky’s bottom hits the floor, give him the treat and lots of praise.
- Practice: Begin adding the “sit” command along with the hand signal over time. In addition, begin using only your hand with no treat. Always remember to give him treats and lots of praise when he’s successful.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: As with the other two methods, after your puppy has “sit” down, graduate to giving him the command in other areas to get him used to following it no matter where you are.
How to Train a Husky to Sit Easily
The above three methods make it easy to understand how to train a Husky and how to transfer that understanding into action.
Any of these methods makes it easy to train your Husky to sit, whether he’s a pup, an adult, or even a senior dog.
Remember, training is a process.
It doesn’t happen in one day, so practice patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, and you’ll have your Husky puppy sitting in no time.
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