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slight sitting issue

G

gamefanz

Well-known member
Toby is 20 weeks old. He does sit VERY well but for some reason he seems to slide even on carpet. Its like he pushes with his legs as he is sitting. He can sit straight but chooses to slouch a lot. Is there any way to get him to sit like he is in the ring and not slouch or push off. At our training sessions the floor is concrete and slick so Toby never sits still, he slides.
Any advice?
Becky
 
Do you shave his paw pads? Having hairy feet can make it pretty tough for them to not slide! I shave Coco's pads but leave the gorgeous top hairs on her feet, it helps give her more traction. Maybe that will help Toby?!?
 
A lot of young dogs sit back on their haunches - it looks really sloppy, doesn't it?! Calling them to you and then backing away so that they reach towards you and come really close helps to move their weight onto their front legs, as does holding a toy or titbit above their nose level. It also helps never to let Toby sit sloppily - when you're doing heelwork, if he goes back on his haunches take a step forward to shift his weight forward.

Slippery floors are lethal! Any dog will walk carefully if he feels his legs are likely to slide from under him. Paw Wax might help?

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Thank you for the advice. We do cut Toby's paw hair so I don't think its that. I think its more like Kate said. I will try your tips and see what he does. When we start intermediate classes I will to find paw wax to see what happens, that concrete floor is just not good for him. Our trainer would not agree with us on the slippery floor, he said Toby is just lazy. I don't think so! He is the trainers best student, he uses Toby for many demos.
Becky
 
Becky wrote: [Our trainer] said Toby is just lazy.

In a way he's right - not mental laziness but physical laziness. Sprawling back on their haunches is the way puppies sit, when their legs/body/hips haven't quite come together yet and it's more comfortable to sit back on their haunches. Physically, Toby is quite capable now of sitting up straight but hasn't quite got the message - rather like children put their elbows on the table and sprawl to write or draw, instead of sitting up in their chair!

Also, with small dogs sitting back gives them a better view of your face, so you need to focus their attention on your hands rather than your face - same with heelwork, where trying to see your face will automatically make them move away from your side.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Didn't think of it that way, good point.

Becky


Kate H said:
Becky wrote: [Our trainer] said Toby is just lazy.

In a way he's right - not mental laziness but physical laziness. Sprawling back on their haunches is the way puppies sit, when their legs/body/hips haven't quite come together yet and it's more comfortable to sit back on their haunches. Physically, Toby is quite capable now of sitting up straight but hasn't quite got the message - rather like children put their elbows on the table and sprawl to write or draw, instead of sitting up in their chair!

Also, with small dogs sitting back gives them a better view of your face, so you need to focus their attention on your hands rather than your face - same with heelwork, where trying to see your face will automatically make them move away from your side.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
Click to expand...
 
Maddie has always had a "lazy" sit, and she used to sit up against the wall at training. It's got worse since she had her slipped disc. A lot of dogs don't have strong core muscles, and I've been working through some exercises with her to strengthen these, and her sit has improved a bit. I don't expect miracles though, she is nearly 7 now and has been sitting sloppily (unless there's food in view :lol:) all her life. With Pippin I only rewarded proper sitting and he sits beautifully.

Having said that, I don't think it's too big an issue unless you want to compete in obedience.
 
Thank you. I'm gonna try to train the sits with proper sitting in mind. See how that goes. If not, its not that important to us but in training classes I would prefer he sit proper.
Becky
 
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