# Tell me about sits...



## sjenius (Jan 13, 2014)

I've taught sits by waiting until the dog sits and then capturing with a marker like yes! or a click with a clicker. It sounds like you just need to refine, which is where selective treating comes in. After the dog knows the command I only treat for a solid butt on the ground sit. Also don't immediately treat after the sit, wait a second so they just don't pop back up, like my shepherd does. She sometimes likes to cheat.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

If she's sitting out of line (I'm guessing bottom away from you feet), try heeling alonside a fence that way, she can't 'fishtail' her hiney away and the fence sort of guides her into a straighter sit. 

Is that what you meant?

If she's sitting rolled back instead of tucked normally, then sjenius is correct - only treat the proper sits not the country bumpkin ones. (I have always called them that because that's what my RR did and he looked like an old country bumpkin to me - no offense to any country bumpkins meant - I thought he looked cute).


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## Aubrey (May 18, 2013)

Seems most people used a raised target/platform to get it- Teaching a Tucked Sit | Ruby The Whippet


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. In another group someone posted this link and smile I now am getting nice tuck sits on her come front. Still have to transfer them to her heel work... 

Tonight Apollo came to work with me so we will work on his tuck sit tonight. Hopefully Sunday he starts a CGC class and we can work on other things there including his automatic stand (not sit) since hopefully he will work out as a mobility dog.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I got my tucked tight sits by sitting facing Lily and holding her collar slightly (very slightly) up and forward and asking her to sit. She had no choice but to tuck to get to the sit. This is more of a forced method than the lure method other described. I wouldn't use it unless the dog already really knew what you wanted but was being noncompliant about it.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

sjenius said:


> I've taught sits by waiting until the dog sits and then capturing with a marker like yes! or a click with a clicker. It sounds like you just need to refine, which is where selective treating comes in. After the dog knows the command I only treat for a solid butt on the ground sit. *Also don't immediately treat after the sit, wait a second so they just don't pop back up, like my shepherd does. *She sometimes likes to cheat.


I mark the sit a split of a second before the butt hits the ground, as his back leg muscles are bending so the dog is reinforced for the _act_ of sitting...the motion of going into the sit. To keep the dog from getting back up again, I insert a release word which in my case is "ok" which is not a great release word since it's used so much in other contexts, but I'm in the habit. So, better would be "release" or "free" or something else. In the meantime, furnish treats in quick succession, one after the other as the dog is staying. Some trainers don't use the release cue until the dog is staying for several seconds...like 10 and that is good too. You just have to give those treats quickly, one after the other and then release. 

That release word needs to get in there_ before _they rise and gradually lengthen the duration they have to sit. Wait as long as you dare, give your release cue, pause just a sec or two and walk back encouraging the dog to come along so the dog knows what you mean by the release. If you wait too long while starting this skill and you don't get your release word in in time, that is bad because every time they break the sit/stay, they get reinforced instead of being reinforced for the correct behavior. So, timing is everything.

Release cues are very important for almost everything. It tells the dog that whatever you just asked it to do, it must keep doing it until given further instructions.


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

My poodles are pretty solid on sit but sit to them means lower your butt, move your front feet back to meet it ie they "rock" into the sit. It is not a problem normally but I need a nice neat "tuck your butt up to your front feet" sit for competition. So I am currently training the tuck sit with a different hand signal (towards me and up) and once I get that into place will add my verbal cue "Hup" like a bird dog uses. Grin that will leave both forms of sit on cue so when DH says sit they rock sit (acceptable) but when I tell them hup they tuck sit (what I need in obedience)

After posting in Poodle Sports on Facebook there were a couple of folks that came back and were commenting Thank you I needed that information also. I guess this is now a fairly common problem when you move from manners to competition.

I agree teaching the release cue as you are teaching the action is actually very important. In our case we have the same release word as you (okay) because it is what my DH says automatically and since his concussion it is hard for him to relearn habits. In competition we may go from cue word to cue word to cue word so they do need to learn not every action has a release it may involve another cue to do something else. For instance heel, sit, heel or heel, sit, stay, come, finish...


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