Teaching Legs To Sit

[RileysLegacy]

First of all, I am NOT one of those people who think greyhounds can't sit. And I usually have no problems teaching my dogs new things. Legs already knows shake, high five, bow, belly (roll over half way), down, stay, etc.

 

But I can't teach Legs to sit! One of his previous owners must have taught him that "down" was "sit", b/c as soon as I ask for sit he just lays down. This would be totally fine, but I want to take him in a couple of weeks to get his CGC so he can become a therapy dog! So, how do I re-train him to sit? I have never once seen him sit on his own. I think I need to use a different word for sit, but this keep confusing me, and I don't know if he can pass the CGC if I said something else?

 

Any thoughts or tips?

[Batmom]

You can say whatever you want .

 

Can't think of any great tips right now.

[Guest zaylea]

I have the reverse problem. Major is a bizarre greyhound because she sits naturally on her own. Specifically, she will sit in front of me, and put her paw on me. Sometimes she will just wave the paw at the air. She seems pleased if I take it and shake it. I haven't been able to teach her to do it on command. She wasn't home acclimated when I got her, so I have no idea how she learned to do this.

 

I wish I could help - greyhounds look so pretty and dignified when they sit

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Try using just a hand signal without any verbal cue. That might help eliminate "sit" meaning "lay down" to him. Once he's got sit with the signal, add the word so he gets the new meaning.

[OwnedBySummer]

Is it necessary in order to get your certification down there? Up here, firstly, you don't need your CGC. In fact, most people seem to have never even heard of it. But the therapy dog groups don't require it, either, and they exempt the greyhounds from sitting.

Edited May 9, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[PrairieProf]

I noticed Beth sits spontaneously when she was on a hill facing downwards. I had terrible trouble teaching her to sit on command when we were in our first obedience class until I got her on a downward slope outside, then gave the sit command. Worked like a charm. Once she got the idea she was able to generalize to doing it on flat ground in about a day -- we looked for progressively less-steep slopes (I live in a somewhat hilly neighborhood, so the edges of people's lawns worked fine).

Edited May 10, 2011 by PrairieProf

[BatterseaBrindl]

Therapy Dogs through St John Ambulance do not need their CGC or need to sit, either.

 

I did teach Nixon to sit...he also only wanted to lie down and it took some time for him to figure out the sit.

 

Similar to what PraireProf did with Beth....we used his bed instead of a hill....

 

With him in a stand...with his butt just ahead of the edge of his thick dog bed, I would just kneel quietly beside him, hand on his collar.

Then, I put my other arm behind his hocks and 'scooped' his back end under, and down into a sit, while saying SIT and "Good Boy" and treating.

We did this a lot. A lot.

 

The we progressed to my standing in front of him, again his butt was just in front of the edge of his bed. I had a treat (of course!) and just lifted my closed treat hand up and over his head, saying 'SIT'...he quite literally fell backwards onto his butt on the edge of his bed.

Oh...Good SIT!

We did this a lot. A lot.

 

Here he is the first time he did it, and actually stayed sitting long enough for me to take his picture. You can see he is on the edge of his bed.

 

Then we progressed to sitting without the bed as a 'catcher'

 

Then...one day he just knew how to sit...

Now he does it all the time if he thinks he's getting a treat.

Edited May 9, 2011 by BatterseaBrindl

[Guest meggera]

I like what PrairieProf and Jayne have suggested in regards to using the hill to encourage sitting and beginning with non-verbal cues. You should also work on breaking the sit down into smaller steps with shaping. "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" by Lee Livingood has wonderful information on how to shape a greyhounds behavior to get a sit in Chapter 8. If you have this book I would refer to that chapter. If you don't have this book I would highly recommend you check it out from your library.

 

In regards to exceptions it is my understanding that the CGC test will not exempt a greyhound from performing the sit. To be exact on page 40 in "Citizen Canine" by Mary R. Burch, PhD (official AKC book on CGC) there is an article specifically directed at greyhound owners in regards to the sit and that greyhounds will not be exempt from this requirement. This is another good book I recommend you check out from your library since you are preparing for the CGC test.

 

While some therapy dog groups may make exceptions from Greyhounds I know that if you are interested in joining Therapy Dogs International (TDI) you must complete & pass the CGC test.

 

I have been doing a lot of research on the above because I also would like to complete my CGC and therapy dog certification once we get to bring our greyhound home. I hope this information can be at least a little helpful for you! Good luck!

[OwnedBySummer]

I tried the suggested sitting methods with Summer but she didn't get it. So I shoved her butt down myself, applying a lot of even pressure, making sure everything folded up properly. And she learned it right away and we never looked back! Even though she was quite capable of doing it, we never had to perform it during our therapy dog evaluation as she was automatically exempted anyway.

 

Here's Summer with her boyfriend and they're hoping for treats!

 

[Guest june]

I like what PrairieProf and Jayne have suggested in regards to using the hill to encourage sitting and beginning with non-verbal cues. You should also work on breaking the sit down into smaller steps with shaping. "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies" by Lee Livingood has wonderful information on how to shape a greyhounds behavior to get a sit in Chapter 8. If you have this book I would refer to that chapter. If you don't have this book I would highly recommend you check it out from your library.

 

In regards to exceptions it is my understanding that the CGC test will not exempt a greyhound from performing the sit. To be exact on page 40 in "Citizen Canine" by Mary R. Burch, PhD (official AKC book on CGC) there is an article specifically directed at greyhound owners in regards to the sit and that greyhounds will not be exempt from this requirement. This is another good book I recommend you check out from your library since you are preparing for the CGC test.

 

While some therapy dog groups may make exceptions from Greyhounds I know that if you are interested in joining Therapy Dogs International (TDI) you must complete & pass the CGC test.

 

I have been doing a lot of research on the above because I also would like to complete my CGC and therapy dog certification once we get to bring our greyhound home. I hope this information can be at least a little helpful for you! Good luck!

 

They do require the CGC which is kind of crazy b/c the greys do NOT have to sit to pass the TDI!

 

Go Figure!

june

[RileysLegacy]

Cool, thanks for all the info guys! Love all the pics of the sitting pups

 

Working on a hill or the edge of a bed is a great idea. I do also have Greyhounds For Dummies, but didn't even think to look there. I know once Legs "gets" what I am asking, it will be no problem. I am the one who needs the training!

 

And yes, he does need his CGC to do therapy work here, and they require a sit. Which is fine, like I said, once I figure out how to communicate with him better, I know he'll get it

[Jerilyn]

I started with Lila by luring her into a sit by holding a treat above her nose and moving it back. That didn't work completely because she would just back up or drop into a down. Using a clicker was the secret for us. It allowed me to mark the fraction of a second that only her butt was down. That in turn helped her to understand what I was asking for.

 

I started by loading the clicker (click-treat, over and over again) the clicked and treated for something she knew already (down). The next day I added the sit. After a couple sessions she got it. As others have suggested she responded to a hand signal better than a verbal cue at first.

 

There a lots of people here with way more clicker experience than me, but if a novice like me can use it effectively it is worth a try.

 

Good luck!

[Guest GreytOD]

Jennifer from Never Say Never Greyhounds has steps to teaching sit using the hill method with hand signals on her blog here: http://neversaynevergreyhounds.blogspot.com/2009/08/greyhound-sits-101.html

 

Good luck with the CGC and TDI!

[EllenEveBaz]

I'm on a Kathleen Gilley kick tonight. Here's her Using Sit as a Bonding Tool. Enjoy!

[3greytjoys]

My most difficult hound to teach "sit" was one of my own (vs. my fosters). He is highly intelligent, but it took me months to get him to trust a human. (He had a questionable past with humans.) The most gentle way I found to teach him to "sit" is the following:

 

Try to set your hound up for success.

 

Watch for the hound to walk towards their bed to lie down naturally. (This is easy with Greys! lol)

Get ready with treat in hand, and quickly move closer to the hound.

Once hound's rear end touches the ground/bed, you jump in to stand directly in front of the dog's body. Your body is blocking the hound (into a natural sit) while preventing dog from lying all the way down. Immediately say "sit" and treat the dog, and praise, praise, praise.

 

Do this every time the dog goes to lie down naturally, and the hound will learn "sit" in no time!

 

I reinforce the "sit" command daily by having every hound "sit" before each meal or when they get treats. I've always coupled verbal commands with the appropriate hand-signal in dog training. Some dogs respond to visual signals better than voice.

[3greytjoys]

Many dogs will lie "down" when they want desperately to please you, but they don't yet understand the physical response to your request. (They can only do what they know how to do.)

 

Days after he thoroughly understands the "sit" command. I'd work to separate and retrain him to understand that "down" means something different.

 

BTW, re: "sit:" I've had a number of hounds that do a side sit vs. a straight sit. This is fine as far as I'm concerned considering a Greyhound's body design. Many times they will eventually do a straight sit on their own if it's comfortable for them. Other hounds I teach a straight sit from the start. Greys learn differently than most breeds. Adapting with gentle, positive training is soo important with Greys.

[RileysLegacy]

Well today was a major fail I am wondering if it hurts him to sit (he's had some mysterious back issues). He does not even start bending his back legs. Come to think of it, he sort of "dives" into a down, surpassing the sit motion altogether. Will try again tomorrow. 3greytjoys, I think that may be the best method for Legs, thanks for your posts.

Edited May 10, 2011 by RileysLegacy

[GeorgeofNE]

George is the first dog I've ever tried to train who didn't really take to it well--but even George learned how to sit!

 

Try using a corner of the room, the treat above the head (way above) and slowly back him into the corner.

 

I myself use the tried and true "tuck and fold" method of actually physically bending his back legs (gently! Nobody panic!) and pushing him into a sit.

 

Worked like a charm!

[Guest zombrie]

I'll have to try some of these tips, Doolin is a very intelligent dog but for the life of me I cannot get him to sit either - even though I've seen him do it several times by himself! I tried the tuck and fold technique but it always ends up with him roaching pawing me asking for pets He just collapses into me and turns into jelly

Good luck to you and Legs

Edited May 10, 2011 by zombrie

[FountainLady]

I trained Rainy to sit by luring her UP from a down !

 

Get in front of him with a treat when he's laying dow, put the treat infront of his nose and raise it up ... he get up on his front legs first - stop him there (and it's a SIT!) tell him GOOD boy & treat , treat, treat.

 

That worked perfectly to teach Rainy to sit. Once she figured that the treats come with a sit, she learned to park it like a proper lady.

[Jackandgrey]

I can't shape Jessie into a sit either. She always goes into a down front first. I think I'll try the sit from a down method.

[JAJ2010]

Well today was a major fail I am wondering if it hurts him to sit (he's had some mysterious back issues). He does not even start bending his back legs. Come to think of it, he sort of "dives" into a down, surpassing the sit motion altogether.

 

I have 1 pup that sits like a champ and 1 who it either is uncomfortable for her to sit or she just is not coordinated enough. She tries hard but usually sinks into a down within seconds. We used the suitcase folding method and it totally freaked her out so I don't think I will be using it on my next hound. Most "tests" recognize that it is uncomfortable for some greyhounds to sit and they are allowed to lay down instead.