# Getting him to sit in the run??????



## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

We are trying to get Baron (our 23 month male GSD) to sit when we tell him to when we walk up to his oudoor run. he knows very well how to sit on command and will even do it at the end of a 30' long leash.

He will almost always sit on command anywhere but in his run even under high distraction EXCEPT lately when he is in his run. he will just stand there and look at you with his big brown eyes like he has no idea whatsoever what I am talking about. if I go in his run and put a leash on him and say sit he will - a little slower perhaps than outside the run but he will do it.

We are trying to get him to sit in his run as part of our efforts to get him ready for the dog walker we will have after Dec. 8 when I have my second knee replacement operation and we will need someone to walk him once a day (The silly boy will not pee or poop in his run!). So we need to have someone to come by and let him out, for a few weeks, before I can get back on my feet so to speak.

So I am asking for any hints on how to explain this behavior and also any suggestions on how to address it. I tried walking away and coming back to try again - no discernible results. i have also started opening the run, putting his collar on and saying "Sit". i said do it a little slow, but still do it. but I really want him to sit when told in the run.

We are also teaching him to "Wait" when I open the run door so he doesn't dash out like a rocket - with some pretty good results so far.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I take a tasty treat out to the run. Lots of sitting usually. Otherwise, it takes patience waiting for it to happen. Patience is huge with this.

I practice the sit to get out in the crate, it seems to transfer to the pen. Crate games are great to play for getting good behaviors for crate or pen.


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

Patience...... You just have to not give in.When you tell him to sit, wait till he does it,if he breaks the sit as you are entering back out,tell him to sit and do it again.


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## Chantell (May 29, 2009)

Go in the kennel, put him in a sit-stay, walk out the kennel, click-treat! Good sit-stay!


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

I wait a long time to get mine to sit in the run before I open the gate, even when it is pouring down rain and I am getting soaked. I tell them both to sit, then wait and waut....Z will sit almost instantly but Nadi jumps at the gate repeatedly, splashing me with mud. Still that gate does not open till they sit on their bums


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Problem is that he is a VERY stubborn dog1 And just stands there and stares at me.

And when I do get him to sit by being in there - he now usually either doesn't hit the ground with his behind (But does sort of sit just doesn't go all the way down! OR he will sometimes sit in a real puppy sit over on one haunch. I almost thought maybe he was hurting in the hind end but he seems to sit ok outside the run!

Crazy dog!


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Context and WHERE our dogs do a behavior may seem the same to us (a sit is a sit is a sit, right?). But to a DOG a 'sit' in the kitchen in front of me when I have a treat, is COMPLETELY a different command to my dog when it's given in a busy area on Main Street (even if I still have a treat). The command is exactly the same, but my dog doesn't behave the same cause it's NOT clear to them and not the same at all.

Clicker training and dog classes would help with the context and training of this.


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## gmcenroe (Oct 23, 2007)

Chantel's method should work. I get my dog to sit on her dog bed so she is elevated and I can remove her training collar and leash from her when she goes into the kennel. Then she has to stay on her bed until I exit. As soon as I exit I call her to come and reward her with a treat from outside the kennel. This keeps her from running out as I exit if she gets that idea.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Tried that! He will actually jump up on me when I tell him to sit while in the run (most of the time) Doesn't do it when given the command sit anywhere else just while in the run.

Plus wouldn't I be praising (with the click/treat) for me going out of the run then? isn't the click supposed to be done almost at the same time as the behavior?


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

A "YES" response and then the reward is the same as using a clicker and it doesn't seem to have any impact.

Plus I would think that the command "Sit" should be acted on the same for the dog no matter what circumstances and what location I am in with my dog. After all, that is the idea behind "Proofing" the dogs behavior - to react the same no matter what!

If not I would not consider my dog to be really "trained" (of course I may not get that but that is the behavior I want)

He is reliable under almost all other circumstances to "Sit" even when he is barking at another dog, or at the end of a 30' long lead or when he is playing with me or my son. just not in his run!


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## Chantell (May 29, 2009)

How big is his run? Maybe I missed that part. If big enough, how about you go in there with him, and do some commands? Go through the list of commands he knows and work on them in the run?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How long do you wait for him to sit? I've never had a dog not sit eventually once they figure out the door will not open if they don't sit. If they break the sit as I start to open the door, the door closes again and I wait some more. I take a step back from the door, cross my arms and look at the ceiling, ignoring the dogs completely. If I have to wait very long for the sit or they break more than once as I approach and try to open the door, I go back in the house for a few minutes and then come back out and try again. Patience and persistence, and they don't get what they want until they comply.


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