Why I don’t teach dog’s to sit

The idea that a reactive dog should be forced to sit while another dog approaches is incredibly outdated advice.

Sure, that forced sit might make the handler feel more in control — but it does very little to actually help the dog. In many cases, it makes things worse. Sitting isn’t even that natural of a behavior for dogs in tense situations. Watch them. When they’re unsure, they move. They create space. They adjust their bodies.

When we force a dog to be still while their nervous system is screaming at them to move, we create conflict. It’s the same nervous system we have. When you’re anxious or threatened, your body wants to act — not freeze on command.

That dog isn’t being allowed to process the environment. They aren’t given space to think, problem solve, or make safe decisions. They’re stripped of the ability to respond in a way their body is designed to.

I’ve walked many trails with Ana and we pass dogs all the time. I can’t tell you how many I’ve seen sitting rigidly on the side of the path, staring up at their human for a cookie. Meanwhile their ears are pinned back, their face is tight, the whites of their eyes showing. All stress signals. They’re trying desperately to “do the right thing.”

But what they really want is to see what’s coming. To assess. To process. To decide how to handle it.

Instead, they’re told to sit and stare at a hand holding food. And for many dogs in that state, the cookie simply isn’t worth it.

Then when their nervous system finally overrides the command and they move — because biology wins — they’re corrected. A leash pop. A harsh word. Maybe even a shock. Or they’re just forced to endure the situation while stress builds internally. And that stress will come out somewhere. Reactivity gets worse. Or it shifts into another behavior.

If this is what we’re teaching dog owners about reactivity, then we’re missing the mark.

Dogs are not wind-up toys we can place into position with unrealistic expectations. They are thinking, feeling beings. They deserve the opportunity to make choices and work through situations with guidance — not control.

Most of the clients who come to me are exhausted. They’ve tried the obedience route. They’ve tried to “fix” the behavior. And they’re frustrated because nothing is truly changing.

If a dog is struggling, sometimes the struggle is coming from being constantly overridden.

Behavior doesn’t fit neatly into a box. It’s not about perfect commands. It’s about partnership.

Our dogs don’t need more pressure. They need a human who will guide, support, and allow them to process the world in a way that actually makes sense to them — not in a forced “sit.”