Method 2: Clicking for natural behaviors.

This method requires a loaded clicker. If you have taught your pet the value of a click, teaching him to sit can be as easy as going about your daily business. Simply hang your clicker around your neck and watch your dog as your cleaning house or watching TV. At some point, he is bound to sit during your day. If you catch it, click it!

Your pet might be mystified as to why you click at some points instead of others at first, but as he narrows down what you could be clicking for, he’ll soon sit on command.

This works especially well for dogs that are extremely treat motivated, as they’ll spend time working out why you are clicking in order to get more treats.

As soon as your dog is trying to solicit treats by sitting, start naming the cue. Say “Sit” right as the dog is about to sit, and then click and reward. Eventually you can be more exclusive, only rewarding when you say “Sit” first.

Method 3: Approximation

This method requires a loaded clicker. Although this method takes longer to teach, it often results in a better sit your chihuahua is less likely to break.

This method involves clicking for and rewarding tiny steps toward sit, rather than getting the dog in the position and praising them for it. Instead, you might click for your dog’s hind end lowering slightly, regardless of whether he actually sat or not.

Once your chihuahua is dipping his hips regularly, become pickier. Only accept his butt going an inch down instead of just a dip. Once this is all he offers, select the best approximation he offers out of every 10, and click for that. Eventually your chihuahua will be in a full sit every time.

This method takes a long time, but it has its benefits. If your chihuahua breaks the sit command during an unexpected event, he’ll often go back to the last approximation he was taught. If it was taught in one big lump, that means getting up and possibly running away. If he was taught using tiny little motions like this, he may just lift his butt off the ground.

This method is also best for dogs who don’t get luring and seldom sit naturally.

Proofing Sit

Regardless of how you get there, you should now have a dog who can, when asked, put their butt on the ground at the word sit. What they may not be able to do is stay there even one second after the butt has contacted the floor or perform the behavior at all in distracting environments.

This is because while the behavior is learned, it isn’t proofed. In order to proof it we need to add time, distance, and distraction. From here on out, we will be proofing it enough that if a groomer asks for sit while trying to scissor their chest, the dog will do so for at least a few seconds.

Although that may not seem like a lot, there’s actually layers of training needed to be able to get there. Without that additional training, you’ll have the dog who can sit at home when it’s just you and him, but mysteriously can’t do it when someone else is watching. (Or anywhere else.)

Adding Time

To start off, you can build up their ability to sit by adding time. Ask your dog for sit but delay clicking just a split second more than usual. If your dog stays sitting, click and reward. If they didn’t, try again.

It may take a few tries before your pup realizes they have to stay to earn the treat. That’s okay, as long as your dog doesn’t get too frustrated. If they do, reinforce sit for an immediate treat a few times, and then try again for a delay. Keep the delay very short. Longer than an instant treat, but not more than a second.

On your next session, warm up with 2 instant treats, and then delay before giving them a treat. Vary the pattern, sometimes asking for a delay and sometimes giving an instant treat for the rest of the lesson.

Finally, warm up and  cool down with a single treat, but ask for a delay for 8 repetitions in between. If your dog can do it, he passes! Now you’re going to add a second for the next session.

Keep building up in this way until your dog can easily sit for 5 seconds in anticipation of a treat. When your dog can handle this, it’s time to move onto the next step, which we’ll discuss more in part 3.

Similar Posts:

• Teaching Your Chihuahua to Sit, Part 1
• What is clicker training?
• Groom Training: Sit Part 1
• Dog Vocabulary: Capturing
• How To Load A Clicker