Molded Sits Days 1 and 2 Using Bailey

PROPERTY OF MANNERLY MUTTS DOG TRAINING AND ROBIN RUBIN. WE ONLY ALLOW PAYING CLIENTS TO COPY THIS MATERIAL FOR THEIR USE ALONE. THIS MATERIAL MUST NOT BE DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER NON-CLIENT PARTIES OF MANNERLY MUTTS WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION.

Equipment Needed:
6' Leather Lead
Training Collar (I prefer metal chain training collar)

Explanation and Goal of Exercise: This method of molding the dog into position, teaches the dog to allow our hands to mold and manipulate various parts of their body. The handler is also teaching themselves how to determine if a dog's muscles are relaxed with trust OR tense with distrust. Additionally, it is possible to detect a physical problem by touch as you mold your dog down. This also ready's your dog to sink into a sit readily when given the correction later on (if the correction is even necessary).

Hand Drills (practice until your moves can move swiftly through the motions without the handler needing to think about it, before practicing with the dog):

· Practice these without the dog for a few minutes prior to starting.

· Your left hand will hold leash, transfer to your right hand (grasp near snap bolt on collar), left hand does long stroke down dog's (first few minutes your invisible dog) back, the left hand cups the bum area, right hand gives pressure up on collar.

· At the end of heeling, be sure to introduce your "release word". Some people use "break", "free" or "okay" to indicate that the work is ended. One note about "okay" it is used frequently in conversation, so if you use it, you are going to need to train that it only comes from you and when you are looking at them.

· Only start with your dog once your muscle memory kicks on on this procedure.

STEPS FOR EXERCISE:


STEP 1: You can start from a kneeling position or from a standing position. If you are used to walking with your dog, set them up so that they are beside you before...



STEP 2: Transfer the leash to your right hand so that your right hand grasps the collar near the snap of the leash.



STEP 3: Your left hand will begin stroking down from the shoulders of the dog. When your hand reaches the butt, cup the but and say "sit" at the same time the dog's rear end hits the ground. (be sure you have space between you and your dog at this point, so no cuddling et so that your dog is ignoring the lesson).



STEP 4: At this point, you can say "good girl" and THEN give her the release command. Be very sure that your dog never breaks during good girl, but only at the command given (I use "break" for instance).




You want to do this exercise for 100 reps a day. These can be broken up into 25 a piece of so if you would like. With a young dog, I usually do this to avoid extreme boredom for the dog:)

Maine and New Hampshire Dog Trainer
Mannerly Mutts Dog Training Blog