Sheet: Sit & Down — Jordan Mathieu

The "Sit"

🎯The luring phase▼

💡

Starting position: The dog is standing, facing you, somewhere quiet.

Guiding

Hold the treat in front of the dog's nose.

The movement

Move your hand slowly upwards and slightly backwards (above their head, towards their ears).

The tip-over

To follow your hand, the dog will lift their nose and their hindquarters will go down towards the floor.

The reward

As soon as their bottom touches the floor, say "Sit!" and give the treat immediately.

🗣️Voice cue & fading the lure▼

Linking the word

Say "Sit" just before they do it.

Empty hand

Make the same gesture, but without food. Reward with a treat from your pocket.

Do not push down: Never press on the dog's hips to force them to sit.
Hand too high: If you raise your hand too high, the dog may jump instead of sitting. Keep your hand close to their head.

The "Down"

🎯The luring phase▼

💡

Starting position: It is much easier to teach "Down" from the "Sit" position.

The descent

Start from the dog's nose (in a sitting position) and lower your hand vertically towards the floor, between their two front paws.

The advance

Once at floor level, slowly draw the treat towards you (along the ground).

The slide

The dog will stretch out their front legs to follow your hand and end up lying down.

The reward

As soon as their chest touches the floor, say "Down!" and give the treat immediately.

🗣️Voice cue & fading the lure▼

Linking the word

Say "Down" at the moment you lower your hand towards the floor.

Simplifying the gesture

Turn the lowering movement into a simple downward hand signal (palm towards the floor).

The "bridge": If the dog does not want to lie down, use your bent leg as a tunnel to encourage them to crawl underneath.
Comfortable flooring: Choose a rug or grass for the first few times, as cold tiles can put a dog off.
Release: Teach them to stay in the position until you give a release word (e.g. "Okay").