SIT - How to

SIT

TEACHING

             This is the beginning step of teaching your dog how to sit. There are stages in training and future posts will have information about adding Duration and Time, Distractions and Distance. 

             Your training sessions should be short and sweet. 5 min max at a time. 

There are 4 teaching methods listed below. We know that all dogs are different so find what works for your dog.

             Training equipment: At this stage I recommend using a flat collar or a slip collar of some sort. I do not recommend a harness or head halter of any kind for teaching these commands. It's possible to but I don't recommend it. 

             Make sure to give the command “SIT” before you start to help the dog in any way. When you say “SIT” command it. Don’t yell it and don’t say it in your everyday voice. Add a little bit of emphasis to it like you mean it but it doesn't need to be loud. Say the command once, even if it takes you 5 min or more to get the dog sitting you have only said it once at the beginning. Once you get the dog into the desired position you can calmly pet and reward with food if your dog is food motivated. Release your dog right away. “FREE” is what we use. When you release your dog you are just encouraging him to get up. Do not pull on the leash to get your dog up into “Free”. Just make it fun and exciting. For this beginning step in training you want to “Free” your dog before they have a chance to get up on their own. We will work on time and distance later.

Lure

Over head: Start with your dog in front of you take a treat and put it in front of their nose bring the food up over the dogs head and towards its back. (Slow) As soon as your dog is sitting say “Yes” and feed then say “Free” and encourage them to get up. If your dog loses interest part way following the treat then you need to slow down. If your dog still loses interest you need to move to a higher value treat.

Up toward you: Start with your dog in front of you take a treat and put it in front of their nose bring the treat toward you at a straight line from the dogs nose to your belly button and then in all one motion up your body to your chest. Sometimes it helps if you back up initially when you start this.

Leash Pressure and Physical Help

            Pull the leash gently up and over the dogs back at an angle adding slow gradual pressure straight up and slightly at an angle over the back while adding gentle pressure with your hand or finger tips to the dogs butt near the tail. This is NOT a challenge of how quickly you can force the dogs butt down. Slow is key as soon as the dog starts to finish sitting on their own – You let them and help again if you need to. As soon as they are sitting slow calming pets and praise.

            If the above doesn’t work here is one other option. Pull the leash up at an angle over the dogs back while taking your arm behind your dogs hind knees helping him to bend his legs in to a sit.

            Take your time and listen to your dog. Some dogs work better with the leash pressure at an angle over their back and others work better if you have the leash pressure coming in a straight up position.

Over time I plan to start adding videos to these posts as demonstrations.

Watch for updates.

NEXT will be a post on Duration getting your dog to stay sitting for a length of time. 

PLEASE ask ANY questions you have in relation to these posts. 

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