Obedience training
How do you teach an 8 week old puppy to sit?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
At 8 weeks, keep sessions to 60 to 90 seconds, two or three times a day, using tiny pea sized pieces of soft food so the puppy can eat quickly and reset. Lure the sit with the treat close to the nose and reward every single attempt at first, even a wobbly or slow one, since a puppy this young is still building the connection between movement and food. Skip the verbal word entirely for the first week and let the puppy master the physical motion first.
Why sessions stay under two minutes
An 8 week old puppy's attention span rarely holds past 60 to 90 seconds before food, fatigue or distraction takes over, so three or four short sessions spread through the day beat one long one. Ending while the puppy is still engaged, rather than pushing until it wanders off, keeps the next session easier to start.
Rewarding effort before precision
A puppy this young often sits crookedly, half stands back up immediately, or takes several seconds to settle, and all of that still deserves a reward at this stage. Holding out for a picture perfect sit before rewarding teaches a young puppy that trying is not worth it, which is the opposite of what an 8 week old needs to learn about training.
Building around naps and mealtimes
Puppies this age sleep 18 to 20 hours a day, so the small windows after a nap and before a meal tend to produce the most engaged, food motivated sessions. Using a portion of the puppy's actual kibble ration as training reward, rather than adding extra calories, keeps a small puppy's stomach from being overloaded with treats on top of meals.
Key takeaways
- Keep sessions to 60 to 90 seconds, several times a day, at this age.
- Reward every honest attempt at first, not only a textbook perfect sit.
- Train in the short awake windows after naps and before meals for best focus.
- Use the puppy's own kibble ration as reward rather than piling on extra treats.