# Tuck sit as foundation for proper jumping



## LuvWorkingGSDs (Aug 24, 2008)

Rinka had her first puppy seminar this week. She is the first dog I have had that does not have a natural 'tuck' sit where the back legs come to meet the front end and tuck under the body. (She is my first GSD though and her body type must naturally favor the rock back onto the hocks style of sitting.) 

The instructor emphasized how important it is for GSD puppies to learn a proper tuck sit as a foundation for proper jumping form. It is essentially a baby step towards teaching the dog to collect and gather their legs underneath them prior to take-off. 

This may be something that you all know, but I just wanted to share since even though it may be obvious it kind of gave me a 'whoa....mind blown' moment. (the mark of a good seminar IMO ) I have Jen Pinder and Claudia Bates to thank for this moment of enlightenment!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Think most of our dogs have a sloppy sit initially. THink my girls, as they got more excited about agility and knowing they were going to RUN when I released them fixed their sit naturally realizing they'd get a better push from a 'good' sit.


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## LuvWorkingGSDs (Aug 24, 2008)

It's not just the different between the typical 'sloppy' sit and tight sit though. When asked to sit, she could sit with her legs tightly in line with her body. It's the mechanics of how she got to the sit position that really needed work: tucking under vs rocking back. The end result looks very similar, but the mechanics of getting there is a world apart for her.

I tried to find pictures of her to illustrate how similar the end result is, but couldn't find where I had actually *asked* for a sit and the perspective was appropriate for illustrating more than giant ears looking up at the camera! (probably because I am both the primary trainer and photographer in our house!)


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