Repeat the exact same steps as you did in teaching the basic heel in the last post. BUT, this time after a few steps stop walking and verbally command the dog to sit – tug on the lead if necessary. Continue walking at heel and sitting to let the dog know he’s not just heeling anymore; now you’re adding sitting. Once he does that well, introduce the whistle. Your dog best learns skills taught in small doses over time. Be patient.

Now, after you verbally command the dog to sit, blow a SINGLE whistle blast and repeat the verbal sit command. Keep walking at heel and continually repeat the sequence:

1. Verbal sit command
2. One whistle blast
3. Repeat the verbal sit command
4. Dog sits

Eventually, when he sits make him sit and stay for 10 seconds before walking again. This helps teach patience and tells him that when you whistle him to sit he cannot move again until you tell him to move. The dog is now associating the single whistle with the sit command. And he’s learning it at your side where you have complete control of him.

Do not scold him for faltering and give him light praise when he sits; but only enough so he doesn’t lose his focus. Do not let him get sloppy.

Do this drill daily. Eventually, do it without the voice sit command; just the whistle. When (and notice I said when, not if) the dog messes up, reinforce the voice sit command as needed. Once he understands, do it off lead.  The goal is simple. One whistle blast means sit.

Note: Once your dog sits to the whistle at your side, you can begin to teach sit to the whistle at a distance away from you as described in the next entry.