One of my favourite tasks to give new students with dogs of any age is the oddly named Sit on the Dog exercise.
Don’t worry – you don’t actually sit on your dog!
The exercise was created by an American trainer years ago and it’s simplicity might fool you into thinking it isn’t all that important. But a highly regarded veterinary behaviourist I worked with a few years ago validated the benefits of this exercise to me and it’s been part of my student lesson plans ever since! For me, successful completion of this exercise is one of my top priorities for all of my dogs in their training.
What is “Sit On The Dog?”
All you need is an upright chair, your laptop or a good book, your dog with a basic leash attached to a flat collar, and some time. Personally, I make a lot of modifications and adjustments to the original exercise, based on the age and temperament of the dog.
In a perfect world the exercise goes like this: You have work to do on your computer so you put your leash on your dog’s collar, lay the leash across your chair, and sit on the leash with just enough length that your dog can comfortably rest at your side. If the floor is hard surfaced, have a comfortable mat underneath. Your job is simple – you focus on your work, allowing your dog to settle on his own without guidance or reinforcement from you. Your dog fusses for a minute or two, realizing that attention-seeking behaviours are not reinforced, and then he chooses to lie down and relax. At this point the exercise starts: you start the timer and allow 30 minutes to pass. Then the exercise is completed.
Easy peasy.
Troubleshooting the “Sit On The Dog” Exercise
For most dogs the first few times are NOT easy peasy. In fact they might be a bit of a struggle and this is where some tweaking in the early stages might be needed. Learning to relax on his own accord in a highly stimulating and reinforcement rich world is not easy for the urban dog. Many dogs attempt to chew the chair leg, the human’s leg, or the leash, all in attempts to get reinforcement through attention and to protest confinement. For this exercise to be successful the human has to outlast her dog and wait for him to choose to settle. This can take several minutes and in some cases, a few hours!
To avoid this, I always recommend choosing a time of day when your dog is most ready for a nap. Make sure all needs have been met. You can apply bitter spray to chair legs, leashes and pant legs to deter chewing – or try a metal legged chair and a chain extension clipped to your leash, if your dog doesn’t mind bitter tastes. Begin the exercise in a quiet room in your home. Your goal will be to do this exercise at a busy patio, having lunch with your friend. But that is a way off!
Tips for Success
In the early days of the exercise, I might end the session after 5 or 10 minutes when the dog finally settles. My goal is to build up to 30 minutes. For puppies, a short duration is really important, and yes, this exercise is especially beneficial for puppies! For puppies I might give them a chew if they are highly unsettled. My goal is to have my puppy learn to relax without a pacifier. It takes most dogs three days of Sit on the Dog to recognize the drill and settle in.
What Does “Sit On The Dog” Teach?
What does this exercise teach? It teaches your dog self control. It teaches confidence. It teaches leadership and trust. And it teaches neutrality to the environment. The benefit of this exercise will be that you can take your dog into public places and have him settle at your side while you watch your kids play soccer, wait for an oil change, or have lunch on a patio. A dog that can settle is a dog who is welcomed in many places!
Let me know if you struggle with this exercise.
This isn’t my first rodeo and I have lots of tips that can help!
Looking for Vancouver dog training?
Check our classes today!
