Cleaning up the Heel & The Formal Sit
Sit means sit - the first time you say it. No exceptions.
Prerequisites: Leadership, Distraction-Proofing, Heel
Test for Proper Heeling BEFORE beginning the sit practice:
1. Warm the dog up with some quick heeling turns.
2. Come to a quick stop.
3. If the dog stops with you, you are ready to begin practicing the sit (see below).
4. If the dog keeps going, it has forged ahead. Do a right-about turn and keep working on the
heeling turns.
5. Re-test at the beginning of each session until you're ready to begin the sit practice.
The Left Turn:
If your dog is simply creeping out in front of you, but not pulling or forging wildly forward: Quickly collect your extra
slack, and use a 90-degree LEFT turn (head for 9 o'clock). Cut off his line of sight - you may occasionally 'clip' him...his
own fault for being too far forward! This will teach him that the safety zone is just a touch back from where he though it
was.
Heel & Sit - Days 1 - 4:
1. With the dog at the heel position, say ‘heel,’ and step forward with your LEFT foot.
2. Walk forward only about 3 to 5 steps and stop. Remember: BEFORE stopping, slide your
left hand down the leash, about 6 inches from the clip, and collect the slack into your
right hand, then:
3. As you stop, place the dog in the sit position by using pressure on the rear with the
left and hand. Give the 'sit' command just as the dog's muscles take over from your light pressure. Keep your left
thumb pointed in toward your left leg, so that your body doesn't twist, making it impossible for the dog to stay in the heel
position without twisting also. Even though you did the physical placement for the dog, praise warmly and heel forward.
Repeat steps 1 - 3 twenty-five times.
Day 5:
1. With the dog at the heel position, say ‘heel,’ and step forward with your LEFT foot.
2. Walk forward only about 3 to 5 steps and stop. Remember: BEFORE stopping, slide your
left hand down the leash, about 6 inches from the clip, and collect the slack into your
right hand, then:
3. As you stop, place the dog in the sit position by using pressure on the rear with the
left and hand. Give the verbal 'sit' command just as you begin your pressure. Repeat steps 1 - 3 twenty-five times.
Sit Correction - Day 6:
Prerequisites: Foundation, Heel, Sit X 5 days
1. You may only move on to the sit correction after your five days of placing
the dog in the sit.
2. On the 6th day of practice, when you stop, do not 'place' the dog in the sit with your
left hand. Still slide down the leash, but keep BOTH left & right hands low on the leash.
Stay LOOSE on that leash! Give the verbal 'sit' command and count in your head to 2.
3. If the dog doesn’t sit after the 2 count, correct immediately (short, sharp correction
straight up). DO NOT REPEAT THE ‘SIT’ COMMAND. You said it once, since the dog didn't
respond, you're correcting it, no need to repeat the command.
4. When the dog sits, praise and repeat 10 to 15 times. Always get the verbal 'sit' command,
even if the dog is quick on the draw.
SNEAK PEEK:
Our next lesson will cover the 'sit-stay' and 'stand' commands. Stay is obviously a quite useful command, as it teaches a
lot of self-control to your dog.
The 3 challenges that all dogs face when learning the stay are:
1. Distance (you've just spent several weeks teaching the dog to stick to you like glue...what do you think will happen
when you move away?)
2. Time ('sit-stay' is not the most comfortable position for most dogs - it tests their patience, posture, and endurance.)
3. Distractions - the most difficult challenge for most dogs is understanding that stay means STAY - even when a
squirrel or other dog runs by.
Throughout the rest of this course, we'll be teaching your dog how to hold a sit-stay for increasing lengths of time, with
increasing distance from you, and even with some tough distractions.
The 'stand' command is useful for dogs in all walks of life. Whether Fido is the type of dog that requires frequent
grooming, or just needs maintenance grooming and the occasional visit to the vet's office, he'll benefit greatly from
learning to stand up on command. Most dogs are a bit uncomfortable with this command, and learning it makes trips to
the groomer (or grooming in your own bathtub!) as well as trips to the vet much easier on you, the veterinarian or
groomer, and your dog.