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Teaching Your Dog "Sit Up" or "Beg"
Have yummy treats ready. Remember, a yummy treat is a small bit
of meat or cheese; something that your dog does not normally receive.
The yummier it is, the more your dog will be willing to work for
it. - Have your dog sit facing you. Hold a treat in your hand, ready to dispense.
- Move the treat up over your dog's head so that he must take both front paws off the ground to get it. As soon as he does, treat and tell him "good dog" in a happy voice. Don't raise the treat so high that he has to stand up on his back legs, though. It may take a few tries before he understands what you want; be patient. You may have to hold out your other arm for him to put a paw on to balance at first. Once he has his balance, though, do not give the treat unless he is doing the sit-up on his own.
- After 5 or 6 tries, quit and go do something fun with your dog. Return to teaching the trick after a few hours, or the next day. (Ending teaching sessions while the dog is still interested in the training is much more effective because it keeps the dog interested, and he will be more likely to want to return to training.)
- When you return, continue as before, treating as both front paws leave the ground. Your dog will have to learn how to balance in the sit-up position, which may take several sessions. Some dogs cannot get the hang of it, others just need lots of practice. Always praise him happily when he does what you want. This will make him want to do it again.
- Now it is time to add a cue word and a hand signal. Have your treat ready, and say "beg" as you start moving it up over his head. Figure out what you want the hand signal to be, and use it at the same time. As your dog gets better at balancing, treat slower--make him "hold the pose" a little longer each time before he gets the treat.
With lots of practice, your pooch will be sitting up and begging like a pro!
Note: Not all tricks work on all dogs. Larger breeds may have a hard time with this one, although Chaplin, a Doberman mix, is very skilled at it! For Jack Russell terriers and beagles, "sit up" is almost second nature! Experiment!
Good luck! Tell us how it goes! Call 404.974.2899, or send us a picture of your pooch doing his trick.
BY EMAIL: Email a .jpg photo along with anything you would like to share about your pet. Our email address is successstories@atlantahumane.org.
BY
REGULAR MAIL: Mail us a non-returnable photograph of your pet (be sure to tell us your pet's name and your name). Include your email address if you have one, or a phone number if you don't, so that we can alert you if we decide to use your photo on our website. Mail to:
Graphics
Department
981 Howell Mill Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
Did you know? Tricks are not only fun for your pet, but they help keep them happy and well-adjusted, and more focused on you!