Teaching to Sit

[IngramsRoughDiamond]

Please give me some advice on teaching my small terrier cross rescue dog who is nervous and can be reactive to sit, anything around his head makes him run away, so hand signals and trying to gently push his bum down have failed hugely

 

[Roxylola]

He might be a good candidate for clicker training, but it's a workday if difference from the lure and reward we all know so well. I'd be inclined to watch some good videos on youtube to get a feel for it.
I think its sunshine ranch does puppy foundation agility training, kikopup is good. And a lady I know Jane Arden who has waggawuffins has been doing some online consults - you might have to pay her, but she was trainer of the year a couple of years ago

 

[PapaverFollis]

I lure a sit using a treat. If the nose comes up the bum goes down!

If he won't tolerate even a hand holding a treat near his nose I would just carry treats around with me and start marking and rewarding any time he sits of his own accord.

 

[IngramsRoughDiamond]

Thankyou both

 

[SAujla]

I like Zak George videos on YouTube. Maybe try when he's close to a wall so he can't back away but might make him feel cornered if he's nervous so give him an exit?

 

[misst]

My little one has learned partly from holding the treat above the nose so the bum goes down and using the word sit as she does it. I then hold up a finger as well but not in her face just in front of my chest. I say sit each time and reward with the treat. She now knows to sit when the treats come out even on a walk without even my saying anything. It doesn't take long as terriers are clever little mites. She does not get dinner now unless she is sitting and again I just wait and avoid eye contact until it happens. I don't ask for a long sit and wait as she is still a pup but she knows what is expected.

 

[bonny]

Just to have an alternative view, does a dog really need to sit to order ?

 

[Shady]

Just to have an alternative view, does a dog really need to sit to order ?

Lol course they do
Mine had a huge tick on his head today and I wanted to remove it quickly and quietly, so rather than have the OH flatten him or me follow him around until he decides to lie down or go to sleep so I can sneak up on him or something equally as daft, i'd much rather he just 'sat' when I asked him to.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I do find a sit on command useful but it's not 100% necessary. I do think at least one "immobility" position on command is necessary. Sit is generally easiest to teach but a down or a stand would work too.

 

[IngramsRoughDiamond]

He's very good at the 'wait' command. If I tell him to wait he doesn't move until I say he can so maybe I won't bother with sit. Also they know 'this way' me means follow me or come here so that works really well for me

 

[Annette4]

Just to have an alternative view, does a dog really need to sit to order ?

I've had the same ethos about Ginny learning to lie down. She has a lovely automatic sit but I for the life of me can't get her to down and had a 'why does she need this' moment the other day and we started to focus on other bits instead.

 

[Shady]

He's very good at the 'wait' command. If I tell him to wait he doesn't move until I say he can so maybe I won't bother with sit. Also they know 'this way' me means follow me or come here so that works really well for me

Wait is good but sit for me is really important as I have 2 big dogs who take up space. When I go to the vet I don't want them to stand as they wag their tails , bashing me or the poor person next to me in the face ! bums on floors is much better, they use less space too.

I started with treats but now I just click and raise my index finger

 

[AFB]

I'd want one or the other of sit/down for practicality personally.
I've given up on 'down' before with one that just couldn't get it regardless of the method used - good as gold for sit/wait/come/this way etc., just could not get 'down' in to her fluffy head!

I'd always go with the raised treat method, I find standing in front and using my body to block any evasion, whilst raising the nose with whatever reward encourages sit the easiest way. I'm not a fan of pushing the bum down because I've always felt like I've needed quite a lot of pressure and thus am forcing them in to that position, which I don't think teaches them particularly well.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd want at least one static position, like sit or down. Stand is too easy to break.

 

[misst]

Just to have an alternative view, does a dog really need to sit to order ?

Like everyone else I would say it doesn't have to be sit but needs to be something. If they are excited it is a way of stopping them bouncing. I have OFF for jumping on people or furniture but sometimes especially with small fiesty dogs a sit to follow up is useful as a breathing space. It would work as a lie down or a stand still but sit is short sharp and simple I think.