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Writer's pictureKlaudia Parulska

Teaching Your Dog to Sit and Down: Using Luring and Shaping

Teaching your dog basic commands like "sit" and "down" is fundamental to their training and can be a fun, rewarding experience for both you and your furry friend. By using techniques like luring and shaping, you can effectively teach these commands while strengthening the bond between you and your dog. Let’s explore how to use these methods and the importance of maintaining high energy and excitement during training.



Why High Energy and Excitement Matter

Being energetic and exciting during training sessions makes the process more enjoyable for your dog, which can lead to faster learning and a stronger bond between you and your dog. Dogs respond positively to enthusiastic handlers, making them more eager to participate and succeed.



Teaching "Sit"


Using Luring

  1. Prepare Your Environment: Find a quiet place with minimal distractions and have your dog’s food ready.

  2. Introduce the Lure: Show your dog the food and let them sniff it so they know it’s there.

  3. Guide the Movement: Hold the food close to your dog’s nose and slowly move it upwards and backwards over their head. As they follow the food with their nose, their butt will naturally lower to the ground.

  4. Mark and Reward: The moment your dog’s butt touches the ground, use a marker word like “yes” or a clicker, followed by giving them the food.

  5. Repeat and Add a Cue: Repeat this process several times. Once your dog is consistently sitting with the lure, start adding the verbal cue “sit” just before they perform the behaviour. Make sure to have a pause between the word and the physical cue.



Using Shaping

  1. Prepare Your Environment: Find a quiet place with minimal distractions and have your dog’s food ready.

  2. Introduce a Platform: Use a platform that you want the dog to sit on. This helps to create a specific area for the behaviour.

  3. Mark Small Steps: Start by rewarding if your dog shows interest in the platform. Then, reward them for stepping on it, and finally, once they sit on it.

  4. Encourage Interaction with the Platform: Reward your dog for stepping onto the platform. Gradually wait for your dog to sit on the platform before marking and rewarding.

  5. Increase Expectations: Gradually wait for closer approximations to the full sit before marking and rewarding. But don't expect too much too soon; click small steps and gradually increase expectations.

  6. Add a Cue: Once your dog is consistently sitting on the platform, add the verbal cue “sit” just before they perform the behaviour.

  7. Practice Patience: This method takes time, so be patient and consistent.



Teaching "Down"


Using Luring

  1. Prepare Your Environment: Find a quiet place with minimal distractions and have your dog’s food ready.

  2. Introduce the Lure: Show your dog the food and let them sniff it so they know it’s there.

  3. Guide the Movement: Start with your dog in a sitting position. Hold the food close to their nose and slowly move it down towards the ground and slightly forward. Your dog should follow the food and lower into a down position.

  4. Mark and Reward: The moment your dog’s elbows touch the ground, use a marker word like “yes” or a clicker, followed by giving them the food.

  5. Repeat and Add a Cue: Repeat this process several times. Once your dog is consistently lying down with the lure, start adding the verbal cue “down” just before they perform the behaviour.


Using Shaping

  1. Prepare Your Environment: Find a quiet place with minimal distractions and have your dog’s food ready.

  2. Introduce a Platform: Use a platform that you want the dog to lie on. This helps to create a specific area for the behaviour.

  3. Mark Small Steps: Start by rewarding any small movement towards the down position. For instance, click and treat if your dog lowers their head or bends their front legs, or shows interest in the platform.

  4. Encourage Interaction with the Platform: Reward your dog for stepping onto the platform and for gradually lowering their body on it.

  5. Increase Expectations: Gradually wait for closer approximations to the full down before marking and rewarding.

  6. Add a Cue: Once your dog is consistently lying down on the platform, add the verbal cue “down” just before they perform the behaviour.

  7. Practice Patience: This method takes time, so be patient and consistent.



Side Note

There are different types of sit and down. A front sit where the back end tucks under is considered more desirable, while a backward sit where their butt falls back is also common. Similarly, there is a forward down and a backward down. In the video below, you will be able to see the difference.



Tips for Effective Training

  • Be Energetic: Use a happy, excited tone and body language to keep your dog engaged and motivated.

  • Keep Sessions Short: Short, frequent training sessions (5-10 minutes) are more effective than long, infrequent ones.

  • Be Consistent: Use the same cues, markers, and rewards to help your dog learn faster.

  • Reward Often: Frequent rewards keep your dog motivated and reinforce the desired behaviour.

  • Have Fun: Training should be enjoyable for both you and your dog. The more fun you have, the more your dog will enjoy the sessions and the stronger your bond will become.


Conclusion

Using luring and shaping to teach your dog "sit" and "down" commands can be highly effective. By maintaining high energy and excitement, you make training enjoyable and strengthen your bond with your dog. Remember to be patient, consistent, and enthusiastic, and you'll see positive results in no time.

If your dog starts to whine, bark, self-soothe, or walk away, that is your cue that they don't understand and the task at hand is too difficult. A little frustration is okay as it enables them to feel certain feelings and work out how to deal with them. Be patient and empathetic with your dog, but allow them to grow into their personality and develop problem-solving skills. This allows your dog to grow into a strong and independent Waggler.


Happy Training!

Wicked Waggles Doggy Daycare



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