The trick of “sitting up” is easily taught to small dogs, but
should try not be included in a big dog’s education, as it is
difficult for them to preserve their balance.
The training of sitting up is one of the first tricks to teach
and forms the groundwork for many other dog tricks. To train a
dog to sit up, prepare some treats as a reward, and set your dog
on his haunches in a corner, so that he cannot fall either
backward or sideways and has very little or no space to lose
balance.
Keep him from pitching forward by holding one hand under his
chin and with the other hand hold the treat above his nose and
keep repeating distinctly and deliberately say, “sit up.” Do not
make him sit up too long at any one time, but repeat the lesson
frequently and reward him often with plentiful of praise and
treats.
During his first lesson he will require considerable assistance
from your hand to prevent him from pitching forward, but as he
gets control of the balancing muscles and understands what you
want, he will depend less and less upon your hand to keep him in
position and you can gradually render him less assistance until
you will only have to keep one hand in position two or three
inches from his neck or chin, so as to be ready to prevent him
pitching forward; later on you can withdraw this hand entirely
and simply hold the treat just above the level of his head.
By constant practice he will sit up well after you set him up;
then he should be set up against the wall, so as to afford him a
support for his back only, and after he has been well schooled
at this and can keep his position easily, practice him against
chair legs, cushions or other objects that afford him less and
less assistance, until finally he learns to preserve his balance
and sits up without anything to lean against.
During all these lessons the words “sit up” have been impressed
upon his mind by frequent repetition, and now comes the final
lesson to teach him to sit up as soon as he hears the words, and
the chances are, if he has been diligently drilled, it will be
necessary only to call him out in the room, show him a treat,
hold it up a suitable distance from the floor, say “sit up” and
he will do so, when he should be given the treat while still in
position.
The only necessity to perfection is to practice him several
times a day until he will sit up at the word and without being
shown a reward; that can be given him after he has obeyed.
You have now a foundation for many other tricks. He can be
taught to beg by moving your hand up and down just in front of
his paws, which he will move in unison with yours. He can also
be taught to salute by bringing one paw up to the side of his
head, or to hold a wooden pipe in his mouth, or to wear a cap on
his head or other articles of wearing apparel.
In teaching a dog to submit to being dressed up, do not attempt
to get him to wear too many things at once; try him at first
with a cap and after he becomes accustomed to that you can put
on a coat and gradually accustom him to the other clothing
articles.
Enjoy teaching your dog the “sit up” trick and most importantly
have fun along the way!
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