Teaching
"Sit" Using
Food As a Lure
The preferred method of teaching
the "sit" command
is to use a tasty food treat as
a lure — one that is small
and soft so the dog can eat it
quickly. Give one for free to
show the prize. Hold the second
treat between your fingers so
it touches the dog's nose and
he or she begins to nibble at
it, getting only shreds. Move
the food treat up and back so
the dog seems to be looking straight
up, but still nibbling, and at
the same time give the verbal
cue, "Sit"
in a pleasant, encouraging tone
of voice — introducing the
word "Sit"
as a command just as the dog begins
to actually sit. This approach
causes the dog's head to tilt
back until he or she puts pressure
on the spine. Soon it is more
comfortable for the dog to sit,
at which time he or she is given
the food treat and praise in a
calm voice (always remember praise
when teaching the dog anything).
Don't worry at first about whether
the dog is sitting straight or
has moved to the side a bit —
the idea is to establish a quick,
motivated response to "Sit,"
and you can fine-tune things later
if you wish.
The
most common mistake made during
this process is to hold the food
too high resulting in the dog
jumping up for it. The food must
be held directly at and in contact
with the dog's nose and lips.
A second common mistake, when
the dog does sit, is to allow
the dog to grab the food out of
the hand instead of taking it
gently. If the dog grabs too aggressively
or makes teeth contact, then hold
the food inside a closed hand
and bring the hand, with a lightly
closed fist, up to the dog (do
not startle the dog). When he
or she is gentle, turn your wrist
and open your hand to allow the
dog to eat the food. The goal
is for the dog to learn that gentle
is what results in the food, whereas
being aggressive with the hand
makes the food go away.
If
using a food lure alone is not
effective in teaching the "sit"
command, one, or a combination
of, the following techniques may
be necessary.
Teaching
"Sit" By Placing
a Hand Behind the Dog's Rear End
Before
giving the "sit"
command, gently place a hand behind
the dog's bottom. Say "Sit"
and as the dog backs up, he
or she will bump into the hand.
You can then gently shape the
dog to sit and reward him or her
when the dog complies.
Teaching
"Sit" By Standing
Behind the Dog's Rear End
Before
giving the "sit"
command, have a helper stand behind
the dog with his or her feet near
the dog's haunches. Say "Sit"
and as the dog backs up, the
helper's feet and legs will shape
the dog's body into position.
Again, reward the dog when he
or she complies.
Teaching
"Sit" Using
the Gentle Leader® Headcollar
Begin
with your dog at your side or
in front of you. Grasp the leash
with the hand closest to your
dog, holding it only a few inches
from the leash snap. Pull the
leash forward and upward to point
your dog's nose gently skyward.
As you tip his or her nose up,
the head should go gently back
and the hindquarters will naturally
lower to the ground as the dog
pulls backward against the pressure
at the back of the neck. As soon
as the dog begins to sit, say
"Sit" and immediately
release the tension on the leash.
Offer a treat as a reward along
with praise and stroking. The
dog will quickly associate the
sitting position with the word
"Sit," and will
begin to respond with a lighter
and lighter pull on the leash.
Teaching
"Sit" Using
the Cupping Technique
If none of the above are not effective
in teaching the "sit"
command, the cupping technique
may be necessary. This technique
requires that the dog be wearing
a collar but does not require
a leash, and involves shaping
the back legs into position. This
is indicated for the dog that
does not show sufficient interest
in food to lure him or her into
position.
With
one hand on the collar, push backwards
and down as if trying to back
the dog up. Run the other hand
down the back, over the rump,
and gently cup the back legs under
him or her. The back legs bend
forward at the knees causing the
legs to collapse into a sit position.
Introduce the word "Sit"
as a command just as the dog begins
to actually sit and pretend as
if the dog did the sit on his
or her own, praising him or her
using the words "Good
girl (boy)!"
Adding
Visual Cues to the Verbal Cues
It is often helpful to
combine the verbal cue with a
visual cue. For the "sit"
command, with your palm turned
up raise your forearm (as you
say the "Sit"
command) from your waist to your
shoulder. As your dog follows
your hand, it causes the dog's
head to tilt back until he or
she puts pressure on the spine,
naturally making it more comfortable
for the dog to sit (much in the
same way that the food lure did).
Remember, we want the dog to succeed
so providing him or her with as
much help as possible is desirable.
Reminder
About Teaching Commands
Please refer back to the section
'Notes on
Teaching Commands' from the
topic entitled "IdealDog™
Vocabulary and Definitions." |
