How do i get my dog to sit without a treat or a clicker?

Question

i want my dog to be able to sit when i say sit without a treat or a clicker or anything else. why can't she just sit to make me happy?

Answer 1

You start training with the clicker and treat. You don't need to carry a clicker and a pocket of chicken with you for the rest of your life---that's a common misconception.

Start with the clicker and treats and then you "fade" them over a long period. That is, you don't give the treat just because the dog's butt hits the ground. You give the treat every second time, then every third time and eventually every 10th time or something like that. The dog is a gambler---all predators are. They learn a behavior gets a reward and they keep doing it even though the reward isn't always present because they figure that sooner or later they'll be rewarded.

Read Karen Pryor's book "Don't Shoot the Dog" or look online at clicker sites for more info on how to do this.

PS Why can't our dogs obey just to make us happy? They aren't people. They aren't motivated by our happiness. They are motivated by what happens to them. Dogs that want to please their owners do so because they have learned that making the owner happy is a good thing for them. That's not to say there's no such thing as a human-canine bond, just that it is not what we get from people.

On the other hand, do you go to work every day because you like it or because you get paid? Doing what it is told IS your dog's job. Why shouldn't it get paid? :)

Answer 2

I'd start training her with a treat initially.

With mine, once I had her attention, I'd show her the treat & bring it near her mouth, then slowly lift the treat up & backwards - this caused her head to go up & her bottom to go down, as it did I said "sit" & she sat.

I praised her, told her what a good girl she was & gave her the treat. Did this several times & then we had some fun games together.

Next time we did the Sit thing, I didn't always have a treat in my hand but she still followed my hand upwards & as she sat, I said 'sit', she sat. And I praised her.

Eventually I didn't need the treat to get her to sit - still gave her the praise though.

Don't spend too long at a time practising & make sure you do something fun together afterwards.

I don't even need the command 'sit' with mine now - all I have to do is to catch her eye & then drop my index finger downwards. She's a good girl.

Answer 3

First of all, a dog wants to please. Giving the dog a small treat as a reward is meant to REINFORCE the good behaviour. In other words, they sit when you say sit, because they know they will get a reward, but as time goes by the reward of a treat is not given all the time, then after some time, rarely, but the behavior is now SET in them, they do it because thats what they learned and now they do it to please you. Why would you not want to reward to good behavior? Why do you think you don't want to give the treat? Training consists of teaching the dog a certain "trick" such as sit. When the dog does as we have asked, we reinforce this with the treat to indicate "Yeah your rump hit the floor and for that you get this". Now the dog knows this is something that gets them a treat, so the next time you ask, their rump hits the floor a little faster and again WOW lo and behold a treat is forthcoming. Once the dog now is sitting regularly on command, you start to back off a little with the treats every time. It justyour "good dog" that begins to suffice and the dog is happy with that too. Why can't you just give the treat to make her happy and to say in dog speak "you made me happy so here's a treat!"? What is the real problem with reinforcing or backing up your command thats been obeyed with a treat? I use my dogs own food to do the training with, so they aren't say getting any thing special, its their own food for goodness sake. But they are highly food motivated, makes them VERY trainable, they are happy, I love them and I occasssionally give them other treats, but the vet was pretty clear about not overdoing it with the treats being a reason my dogs are not overweight, unlike myself. So, don't be afraid the use SMALL peices of their own food to train them with (just reduce their food allotment accordingly, so they are not getting too much. Believe me, its well worth the treat to get the behaviours you are trying to bring out in the dog and as to doing it with just your happy face, well, you are just making more work for yourself initially, when if you used the treat, along with say the clicker and then just your smiling face and a good girl, you would breeze through training much easier and quicker and get the end result you are looking for eventually. Good luck with your dog!

Answer 4

It takes a lot of time and patience. Treats are an ok thing to give out as a reward in the beginning. Once she is doing it on a consitent basis, then you can start to ween her off the treats. Eventually, no treats will be needed to have her sit. But you must be persistent. If she doesn't sit for you when you tell her, you need to say "NO.....sit" in a firm voice until she gets it. Then when she does finally sit, praise her in a loving voice. Dogs have a will of their own and as their master you need to work hard to get them to do what you want.

Answer 5

This is a good way to trick her and something i do in the obedience ring where treats are not allowed. If you normally make a fist with your hand with a treat you can do this and they will usually sit. If that does not work just repetition. Every time she works without a reat sh gets double the praise. make her know you are so proud of her. She will pick up on that and work harder for it.

Answer 6

A dog should be trained on how to eat, walk with you, not to bark, potty training and sleep on its place etc. You can teach anything to your puppy, dogs get trained easily with some good instructions. If you want some good training tips visit https://tr.im/uPp6S

If properly trained, they should also understand whistle and gesture equivalents for all the relevant commands, e.g. short whistle or finger raised sit, long whistle or flat hand lay down, and so on.

It's important that they also get gestures and whistles as voice may not be sufficient over long distances and under certain circumstances.

Answer 7

Lots of praise. I started by holding a toy she likes and slowly weined it away. Now she sits on command. When they're learning they have to have an incentive to do what you want or they are not going to care about the sitting.

Answer 8

As she is standing, push her butt down while saying "sit". After a bunch of times of doing that, just say "sit" and see if she does it. If not, go back to having her stand and pushing her butt down while saying "sit". When she finally does it just by the command, pour on the praise (and a little rubbing behind the ears works). You will probably have to do this in several sessions, but she will get it. This is how my dogs learned. They are old now, and they still sit without ever having a treat.

Answer 9

All I did was push her butt down and say 'sit' consistently. In about a week she would sit every time I told her to.

Answer 10

I trained my 10-week old puppy to do this in about five minutes. I put a leash on her and told her to sit gently tugging up on the leash and applying pressure to her hind quarters. Then I'd praise the heck out of her. Your dog really does want to please you.