Does Your Dog Need to Sit to Be Well Behaved?

Does your dog need to sit to be well behaved? Usually, no. Sitting can be a useful behaviour, but a sit is simply a body position. It does not automatically tell us that a dog is calm, relaxed or comfortable.

One of the biggest changes in my own approach to dogs came when I started paying less attention to what a well-behaved dog was supposed to look like and more attention to how the dog might actually be feeling.

Does Your Dog Need to Sit in Public?

I was recently sitting in a veterinary waiting room with Bear when I noticed another dog repeatedly getting up. Each time the dog stood, their owner asked them to sit again.

I completely understand why. Most of us have been taught that a dog sitting quietly beside us is the picture of a well-behaved dog. It can almost become automatic: we stop, so we ask for a sit.

But after several repetitions, I found myself wondering: why did that dog actually need to sit?

A vet waiting room can contain unfamiliar dogs, people, smells, noises, flooring and movement. Perhaps standing simply felt more comfortable for that particular dog.

Dogs Trust gives similar advice for veterinary waiting rooms, specifically recommending that owners do not force a dog to lie down if they would rather stand or expect them to remain completely still. Their guidance on helping dogs at the vet is worth reading.

Think About a Hospital Waiting Room

Imagine you are anxious in a hospital waiting room.

You change position. You stand for a moment. You stretch your legs. Perhaps sitting still makes you feel more restless, not less.

Now imagine that every time you move, somebody beside you says, “Sit still.”

Would that help you feel less anxious? Or would they simply be controlling what your anxiety looked like from the outside?

Dogs are not people, of course, but the comparison is useful because it reminds us that stillness and comfort are not the same thing. Changing position can be perfectly normal. So can standing, looking around or choosing a different place to lie.

Why I Ban the Word “Sit” in My First Puppy School Session

I see the same habit in puppy classes. A puppy walks into a completely unfamiliar hall and, almost before they have had a chance to look around, we hear:

“Sit. Sit. Sit.”

Again, I understand it. Owners are trying to do the right thing. We have spent decades associating sitting quietly with good behaviour.

That is why I call the first session of my Puppy School the settle session. Before we begin, I ask owners to try not to say a single word to their puppy for the whole session. I even tell them that the word “sit” is banned.

The aim is not to ignore the puppy. It is to show owners how much can happen without constantly filling every moment with instructions.

Puppies can look around, sniff, watch the room, chew, lick, stand, lie down and gradually work out where they are. It gives them time to process the environment rather than immediately turning a new experience into an obedience exercise.

This calm approach to early socialisation is also at the heart of my Puppy School philosophy.

What Should You Look at Instead of the Sit?

Rather than deciding whether your dog is coping based on one position, look at the whole picture. Body language is information, and individual dogs will show comfort or discomfort differently.

If you want to become more confident at spotting those clues, my guide to dog body language is a useful place to start.

When Does a Sit Have a Practical Purpose?

This is not an argument against teaching sit. I teach it, I use it, and there are situations where a particular position can genuinely help.

For example, Blue sits in the car while I open the boot. In that situation I want a clear, predictable waiting behaviour so he is not launching himself out before I am ready. For him, a sit works well.

The important difference is that the behaviour has a purpose. I am not asking for it simply because a dog standing beside me somehow looks less obedient.

If standing would be just as useful in a particular situation, you can also teach your dog to stand on cue rather than relying on sit as the default position.

Standing Is Different From Struggling to Settle

A dog choosing to stand is very different from a dog who is genuinely struggling to settle.

If your dog is pacing continuously, unable to disengage from the environment, becoming increasingly agitated or clearly struggling to cope, I would not solve that by asking for more obedience.

I would look at whether the situation itself needs adjusting. Could you increase distance? Choose a quieter table? Shorten the visit? Wait outside the vet rather than in a crowded waiting room? Give your dog a familiar mat or another comfortable option?

If your dog would benefit from learning a genuine settle behaviour, my place and settle training guide explains how to build that skill without expecting robotic stillness.

For veterinary visits specifically, a cooperative behaviour such as a chin rest can also give your dog a much clearer way to participate in handling.

Can a LickiMat Help a Dog Settle?

For dogs who already enjoy licking, a familiar LickiMat can sometimes be a useful part of a calm setup in a class, café or waiting environment. It gives the dog something predictable to do while they acclimatise.

It should not be used to keep a worried dog trapped somewhere they cannot cope. If your dog is telling you the environment is too difficult, changing the environment matters more than the equipment.

Well Behaved Should Not Mean Motionless

There is nothing wrong with having a dog who can sit beautifully when you need them to.

But I think we make life easier for ourselves and our dogs when we stop treating sitting as the default proof of good behaviour.

A dog can stand quietly beside you and be doing absolutely fine. They can change position under a café table. They can choose to lie on one hip instead of sitting upright. They can take a few moments to look around a new training hall before being asked to do anything.

Frequently Asked Questions