When you begin training your Pomsky, it can be tempting to teach everything at once. Sit, stay, paw, down, leave it, and a few fun tricks can quickly find their way onto the list.

A better place to begin is with two commands that will support almost every other part of your training: sit and come.

Sit gives your Pomsky a simple behavior they can offer during everyday situations. You can use it before meals, at doors, while attaching the leash and when greeting people.

Come, also known as recall, teaches your Pomsky to return to you when called. It is an essential safety skill and one that needs to be built gradually before it can be trusted around distractions.

Both commands can be taught through short, reward based sessions. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward based methods for all dog training because they support effective learning without relying on fear, pain or intimidation.

Before you begin

Prepare a quiet training area with as few distractions as possible. Have several small treats ready so your Pomsky can eat each reward quickly and continue training.

Choose a short marker word, such as “yes.” You will say this word at the exact moment your dog performs the correct behavior, followed by a reward.

Your marker helps your Pomsky understand precisely what they did right.

Keep the first training sessions short. A few successful repetitions are more useful than continuing until your Pomsky becomes distracted or frustrated.

You will need:

• Small, high value treats

• A quiet training space

• A clear marker word

• A regular leash

• A long training line for later recall practice

• Plenty of patience

Never physically push your Pomsky into position or pull them toward you with the leash. The goal is to guide the behavior and reward your dog for choosing it.

Command One: Sit

Sit is a useful first command because it is relatively easy to teach and can be used throughout your Pomsky’s daily routine.

Once your dog understands it, sit can become a polite alternative to jumping, rushing through doors or bouncing around while you prepare their food.

How to teach your Pomsky to sit

Step 1: Get your Pomsky’s attention

Begin in a quiet room with your Pomsky standing in front of you.

Hold a small treat close to their nose so they can smell it. Avoid holding it too far away, as this may encourage your dog to jump toward your hand.

Step 2: Move the treat slowly upward

Move the treat slightly upward and back over your Pomsky’s head.

As their nose follows the treat, their head will move upward and their bottom will naturally begin to lower toward the floor.

Move your hand slowly. When the treat moves too quickly or too far backward, your Pomsky may jump, turn around or walk away.

Step 3: Mark the moment they sit

The instant your Pomsky’s bottom touches the floor, say “yes.”

Give them the treat immediately.

At this stage, you do not need to say “sit.” Your Pomsky is still learning the physical action, so focus on helping them repeat it successfully.

Step 4: Repeat the movement

Allow your Pomsky to stand again, then repeat the same process.

Guide the treat upward and slightly backward. Mark and reward as soon as they sit.

Practise this a few times, then end the session.

Step 5: Add the word “sit”

Once your Pomsky is reliably following the hand movement, begin adding the verbal command.

Say “sit” once, then use the same hand movement.

When your dog sits, say “yes” and reward them.

The word should come before the hand movement. This helps your Pomsky learn that “sit” predicts the behavior you are about to request.

Step 6: Reduce the hand lure

Begin using the same hand movement without holding a visible treat between your fingers.

Say “sit,” make the hand signal and reward your Pomsky with a treat from your other hand when they respond.

Gradually make the hand signal smaller until your dog can sit after hearing the verbal command.

The RSPCA uses a similar gradual process, guiding the dog into position before adding the verbal cue and slowly reducing the lure.

Step 7: Practise in different places

Once your Pomsky understands sit at home, practise in another room and then in the garden.

Later, try it during a quiet walk.

New environments make familiar commands more difficult because your Pomsky has more sounds, smells and movement competing for their attention. Lower your expectations when changing locations and use better rewards when necessary.

How to use sit during everyday life

Practise sit before giving your Pomsky access to something they want.

You can ask them to sit:

• Before placing their food bowl down

• Before opening a door

• Before attaching the leash

• Before throwing a toy

• Before greeting a visitor

• Before crossing a road

Keep the waiting period short at first. Sitting calmly for one second is enough for a beginner. You can build more patience later through a separate stay or wait exercise.

What to do when your Pomsky will not sit

Check whether the floor is comfortable. Some dogs may hesitate to sit on a cold, wet or slippery surface.

Your hand position may also be causing confusion. Keep the treat close to your Pomsky’s nose and move it slowly upward rather than lifting it high above their head.

When your dog walks backward instead of sitting, practise near a wall so they have less space to reverse. Do not trap or pressure them. Simply use the wall to make the movement easier to understand.

Avoid repeating “sit” several times. Say the command once, pause and then guide your Pomsky if they need help.

Command Two: Come

Come teaches your Pomsky to move toward you after hearing their recall cue.

Pomskies can be curious and easily distracted by movement, smells and other animals. A reliable recall therefore takes time and regular practice.

Begin somewhere easy and secure. Your Pomsky should not be expected to ignore a busy park before they can respond consistently inside the house.

How to teach your Pomsky to come

Step 1: Choose one recall word

Decide which word you will use.

“Come” is simple and clear, but you can choose another short word if everyone in the household uses it consistently.

Avoid using the recall word casually when you cannot follow through. Each repetition should help your Pomsky understand that the word means moving directly toward you.

Step 2: Begin at a short distance

Start in a quiet room while your Pomsky is only a few steps away.

Say their name, followed by “come,” in a warm and encouraging voice.

Move backward slightly as you say it. Your movement can make following you more inviting.

Step 3: Reward your Pomsky for reaching you

When your Pomsky moves toward you, encourage them calmly.

As soon as they reach you, say “yes” and give them several small treats or a short game with a favorite toy.

Recall should feel especially rewarding. Returning to you needs to be more valuable than staying where they were.

Step 4: Release them again

After rewarding your Pomsky, use a release word such as “okay” and allow them to continue what they were doing.

This is an important part of recall training. When coming to you always ends play or freedom, your dog may become reluctant to return.

Sometimes call your Pomsky, reward them and let them go back to exploring.

Step 5: Practise around the house

Call your Pomsky from different rooms when you know they are likely to respond.

You can also turn recall into a simple game with another person. Stand several steps apart and take turns calling and rewarding your dog.

Keep the distance manageable and avoid calling while your Pomsky is deeply distracted.

Step 6: Move to a secure outdoor area

Once your Pomsky responds consistently indoors, practise in a secure garden or enclosed space.

Begin at a short distance and use a leash if necessary. Reward every successful return.

Outdoor environments are much more distracting, so you may need to use higher value treats than you used inside.

Step 7: Introduce a long training line

A long training line allows your Pomsky to move farther away while remaining safely connected to you.

Attach the line to a well fitted harness rather than a collar. Allow your dog to explore, then call them when they are not completely absorbed in something else.

Say the recall cue once.

When your Pomsky turns toward you, praise them and move backward. Reward generously when they reach you.

The line is there for safety. Avoid pulling or dragging your dog toward you unless you need to prevent immediate danger.

Animal welfare organizations recommend long training lines while recall is developing because they provide some freedom without allowing the dog to roam completely unrestricted.

Step 8: Add distractions gradually

Begin with mild distractions, such as a quiet outdoor space or a person standing at a distance.

As your Pomsky improves, practise around more interesting smells, familiar people and calm dogs.

Do not increase distance and distraction at the same time. When the environment becomes more difficult, move closer to your Pomsky and reward more generously.

Reliable recall develops through repeated success. Calling your dog in situations where they are unlikely to respond gives them opportunities to ignore the cue.

Never punish your Pomsky for returning

Your Pomsky may occasionally take longer than expected to come back.

When they eventually reach you, reward them.

Punishing or scolding your dog after they return can teach them that approaching you leads to an unpleasant experience. From your Pomsky’s perspective, the consequence happened after they came back, even when you are frustrated about what happened beforehand.

Make reaching you safe and rewarding every time.

Avoid using “come” only when the fun ends

Many dogs begin avoiding recall because they learn that it predicts the end of the walk, the removal of a toy or being taken away from other dogs.

Call your Pomsky at different points during enjoyable activities.

Reward them, hold their harness gently for a moment and then release them to continue. This helps prevent the recall cue from becoming a signal that something enjoyable is about to stop.

What to do when your Pomsky ignores the recall command

Do not continue repeating “come.”

Move closer, make yourself more interesting and encourage your dog to follow you. You can move backward, crouch slightly or use an excited voice.

Avoid chasing your Pomsky. For many dogs, being chased quickly becomes a game and encourages them to keep moving away.

After an unsuccessful attempt, make the next repetition easier. Reduce the distance, choose a quieter environment or use a more valuable reward.

Your Pomsky may understand the command perfectly at home but still need more practice before responding around other dogs, wildlife or exciting smells.

When can you stop using treats?

Rewards are especially important while a command is being learned and when you introduce new distractions.

Once your Pomsky responds consistently, you can begin varying the reward. Sometimes offer a treat. Other times use praise, play, access to sniffing or permission to continue walking.

Avoid removing rewards completely. Behaviors that are regularly recognized are more likely to remain strong.

You may always need high value rewards for difficult recall situations. Carrying treats during walks is a simple way to continue reinforcing one of your Pomsky’s most important skills.

A simple daily training routine

You do not need to dedicate a full hour to training.

Try this short routine:

Morning

Practise five sits before serving breakfast.

Afternoon

Call your Pomsky between two rooms three or four times.

Walk

Practise one or two recalls using a long training line in a safe area.

Evening

Ask for a sit before giving a toy or chew.

Each session can take only a few minutes. Regular practice matters more than fitting every exercise into one long lesson.

Build the foundation before adding more commands

Sit and come give you two useful ways to communicate with your Pomsky.

Sit helps create calmer moments during everyday routines. Come helps your dog learn that returning to you is always a worthwhile decision.

Once these commands are becoming reliable, you can begin introducing skills such as wait, leave it, down and settle.

Continue using short sessions, valuable rewards and gradual progression. Your Pomsky does not need to perform perfectly immediately. They need enough successful repetitions to understand what you are asking and feel motivated to do it again.

With consistent practice, these first two commands will become the foundation for safer routines, more enjoyable walks and clearer communication between you and your Pomsky.

‍