Why Did You Teach Your Dog To Sit?
“Sit” is probably the first thing you taught your new dog or puppy. You held a treat up over his nose until he lifted his nose up, lost his balance and sat. Once he learned that sitting predicted a treat, he sat all the time.
If you attended a puppy or basic dog training class, you learned how to “fade the lure” or how to get your dog to sit without seeing a treat. And you might have learned how to replace the treat with other rewards—his dinner or the door to the backyard opening.
But why should your dog have a “Sit?” Three reasons to consider:
You actually empower your dog by giving him a behavior that translates to a polite way of saying, “Please?” to all humans. Dogs become sitting machines—sitting for everything they want from a treat to the first tossed toy that becomes a rousing game of fetch to being invited into the couch to binge-nap while you binge-watch your favorite Netflix series.
There are days and time you need your dog to cooperate more than others. A hurried day, holiday guests or even bad weather may require your dog to exercise a bit more impulse control during meal times, when visitors arrive or you need to dry him off after a walk in drenching rain. “Sit” can solve all of this. A dog who will sit for his food bowl, to greet an elderly, visiting relative or while waiting for the towel to dry him off is an easier dog to live with. A dog who will sit while you chat with a neighbor and until released from the car is a dog with more freedom—one you can take almost anywhere.
“Sit” also gives your dog a default behavior that keeps him safe. When in doubt…sit! This can be a critical skill if you have a dog who is anxious, fearful or just a bit shy. A dog who sits when joggers or motorcycles go by won’t lunge, chase or bolt away. A safe behavior, that is always rewarded, can be a lifeline for your dog.
A simple “Sit” can carry a lot of weight in your relationship with your dog. You can communicate a behavior that you can use in a lot of different ways throughout your day. We use “Sit” all the time:
Sit and wait for your food bowl
Sit for your leash to be attached
Sit at the curb until it’s safe to cross the street
Sit to greet new people or while we chat with old friends
Sit in your crate in the car until the door opens and you are released
Sit to start a great game of tug
Sit when a group of cyclists go racing past on our walk
Most skills we teach dogs can be used to give them more freedom, not to restrict them. A dog who is calm and can sit in almost any setting is one who can go anyplace with his owner…and be welcomed back.
How and when do you use “Sit?” Do you have another favorite default skill?