Just wondering if anyone does basic obedience with their Deeries and how do you get them to sit? Mine never seem to sit in their day to day life, let alone in a training session, it is as if they find that position uncomfortable and I thought due to the length of their body & neck maybe this is the case.

I think it is very uncomfortable for them. If mine sit it is generally on a step or they plonk there rump on the settee, never on the floor. Also if you show then the SIT position isn't very helpful

If we want ours to stay still we generally tell them to lay down and that works.

I don't know why it would be anymore uncomfortable for them to sit than any other breed of dog.

My three all sit on command, and often of their own accord while watching something, and never seem to have any problem.

Here is Elfin watching Bernard; she is about to "pounce" on him...

Here is Bernard, sitting (of their his accord) after being told to "wait" as a mob of kangaroos went through our property. They are not allowed to chase roos.

Watching some dogs on the other side of the park, once again they were told to "wait", and sat of their own accord.

I don't believe they would sit by their own choice if it were uncomfortable.

I know , that many sighthounds won't sit ( have heard this especially often of Greyhounds ) - wether it is the general anatomy or the " bony bum " ( sorry...) I don't know . All of mine do sit , on their own and on command , but I would not try to get one to do it if she really had a hard time getting into it. The way I like the best teaching it is either with clicker training , wait until the pup sits on her own and click and treat basically , do so a few times and she'll " offer this behaviour " to get a treat ( all of mine do that when I have really good treats handy like dried liver or so...) , then you can start giving the command to it - or , 2ndly , how I trained mine is by very slowly lift a treat over their heads and backwards - after a few tries with backing up/jumping for it everyone of mine got it and sat down - then the big praise and treat .

Ben never sits these days except if he's sitting on a sofa, chair or bench. He very occasionaly sat as a puppy. I've never encouraged him to do so as I've been told by a vet, a professional dog trainer and a chiropracter that sitting is not a good idea for large breed dogs. When I was told this I just accepted it, especially as Ben never sat. With hindsight I wish that I'd asked the reason although I believe its probably because it puts a strain on their backs.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone's heard anything similar and if so what the reason is.

From what ive been told its because they are longer in the back,
and it puts pressure on there spine, how true it is i dont know.

Layla will sit, but only if she wants something, she does prefare to lie down
insted.

All mine sit on command albeit I dont have caue to ask them to very often

Hi, we didn't teach it but one day Freya just watched Murphy coming back on a recall. He arrives then sits then gets a reward. She obviously reckoned this was a good idea and just copied him! Of course now if we show her it's not so clever!

My grandad taught Murphy to sit one afternoon, and give paw for a treat!
I never told him to afterwards, but he always does it, usually only when there
is food around

I was always told never to teach them to sit, because you wouldn't want them doing it in the show ring,
which is why Murphy never has a treat in the ring!

Oh and my greyhound Meg always used to sit.

Norbert dosen't sit of his own, except twice and both these times I have the camera on
When he was a puppy I learn him to sit but very soon he doesn't want it anymoore and I don't force him to do. I think it was uncomfortable to him.

This was the second time at a LC and suddenly he just sit.

It is easier now to make him sit, I think it can have to do with the growing maybe it was dificult to him to sit when he was younger. It is a wild guess from me





And this was the first time.