Teaching Milo to sit

[My baby Milo]

I have tried to teach him thing but he is to hyper. When he smell a treat he tries to get it. I have tried everything. I must not b doing something right. Any suggestion? I would love to teach him different tricks.

[navillusc]

You may need to go slow but be consistent. I don't see how old he is, but perhaps you could also try some other reward besides treats to start. Once he 'gets' the first command you teach him, he may surprise you by eagerly wanting to learn more. But, the more consistent you are with every 'command' you use, the quicker he will pick up what you want him to do. Lots of praise and kisses and 'good boy's' the instant you see he is doing what you want, even if he did it on his own....which is a good, subliminal way to train...and say nothing when he isn't doing what you want...ignore...walk away, etc. In other words, when you see him starting to sit, be ready to say the word "sit" the instant his butt touches down and praise him for doing it...for being 'good'. If you want to treat on these occasions, just carry around some treats that he isn't given...even though he continues to smell them...UNTIL he does something YOU WANT HIM TO DO. It isn't going to happen overnight, but you can help him learn. Good luck!

[BLowry]

Bentley was 5 months old when we got him and he was VERY hyper.,,,, All I did was tell him to sit and at the same time pushed his butt down and held it down....tell him good boy and give him the treat...He learned to sit in a week...and I have 2 other yorkies! they already know sit!...maybe he figured if they do it and get a treat then I will do it too!

[Lovetodream88]

I would sign up for an obedience class. We did our puppy class at Petsmart and loved it 4 years ago and the trainer still remembers us.

[lovespandp]

I would play with him first for a little before you start working with him. What I did was take the treat put it up to Peanut nose back it up told him to sit then I took my hand with the treat and raised it up to his butt went on the floor- I told him "good sit" and repeated

[Teresa Ford]

the Yorkie, SIT Cue
There are many methods that work. In our class which was created for small toy dogs we do this training on the floor or on a counter with excited or reactive pups. You will need: a leash, towel (or pad for the pup to sit on) a harness (step in kind preferred, because the put no pressure on the throat) very tiny treats (that you don't mind putting in your own mouth. We us real boiled chicken breast* cut into pea size bites). We use both a verbal cue and a hand motion. Choose either the floor or counter.
Lesson ONE: Teaching the cue word LOOK. Put your dog on a leash (on the harness never the collar) Put a treat in your cheek. Inside the house walk a little bit, it is ok if the pup dances and bounces around. We are teaching him the harness and leash mean LOOK AT ME, pay attention to me. Say the cue word LOOK, swing two extended fingers in an arch from the dog to your eyes. The second he makes eye contact, praise with Good Look and treat from your cheek. Repeat a dozen times at intervals during the day.
LOOK should be the first cue word a puppy is taught. It puts you in the position of the parent (PLP Provider, leader, and protector). Dogs like human children, learn best by playing follow the leader, and copying behavior) After a few days of LOOK you are ready for the cue word SIT. Every time your pup naturally sits on his own, say Good Sit. This will quickly teach him the cue word Sit.
Lesson TWO: Teaching the cue SIT on the floor. Put pup on leash walk around the house giving the cue Look a few times then, stop walking. When the pup looks at you Sit on the floor and give the new cue word SIT. He will want to climb on you and play, avoid this by either holding the harness or a short leash in one hand. Take the treat from your cheek (Hold the treat between your thumb and one finger, like you are pinching something) this is the visual cue for the cue word Sit. Point to the floor and give the word cue SIT. Move your fingers that are holding the treat, slowly toward his nose while going up so that he has to look up, go over his head he will sit if you are doing this right. The second his butt is down, praise with Good Sit and treat. Repeat this a dozen times the first day. After a few days start practicing Sit sometimes with a treat sometime with just praise. On the leash and off, and before feeding.
* cook and cut up the chicken, we put the tiny pieces in zip lock bags and feeze. only thaw what you need.

[My baby Milo]

Milo did learn to lay down today. It didn't take long. I started out trying to get him to sit but didn't work. I Harley ever see him sitting maybe that's why he won't do that trick. He will lay down when he is playing with his toys so I started saying Lay down and giving him a tiny bit of cheese and he started doing it when I say lay down. We have a G R and he learned sit so quick and then shake.

[navillusc]

Originally Posted by My baby Milo

Milo did learn to lay down today. It didn't take long. I started out trying to get him to sit but didn't work. I Harley ever see him sitting maybe that's why he won't do that trick. He will lay down when he is playing with his toys so I started saying Lay down and giving him a tiny bit of cheese and he started doing it when I say lay down. We have a G R and he learned sit so quick and then shake.

That's wonderful. You will have to keep the training going, though...keep saying lay down when he lays down and when you want him to...consistency and reiterations work wonders. You can do this with anything you see him do that you want him to do, and he will pick it up without suspecting he's being trained. If you also use a gesture...a signal...hand signal...body language, etc., when you give the verbal command ("cue"), he will also start to relate that gesture and be even better trained.

[My baby Milo]

Thanks. I am excited and can't wait till he learns something else new. Maybe roll over will be next.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by My baby Milo

Milo did learn to lay down today. It didn't take long. I started out trying to get him to sit but didn't work. I Harley ever see him sitting maybe that's why he won't do that trick. He will lay down when he is playing with his toys so I started saying Lay down and giving him a tiny bit of cheese and he started doing it when I say lay down. We have a G R and he learned sit so quick and then shake.

A bit worried that you say he doesn't sit often. Didn't he have hip or knee problems? Did you ever get those checked out by an orthopedic specialist?

[gracielove]

Teresa Ford's ideas are excellent. Too bad you can't get into a class with her!
I have also found that holding a small treat high enough above the dog's head will actually cause him to sit as he looks up at it. If the butt does not go down as he is looking at the treat while you are giving the sit command then gently push the little butt down. "Good boy!" and give him the treat. It may take a few times before he connects the command with the action but when that nose goes up in air as he is looking at the treat the butt will go down when he figures out that is how he gets the treat!

[My baby Milo]

He tries to jump up at it instead sitting. He is so quick. I am going to keep trying.

[My baby Milo]

He is fine now. The vet did do x rays and he wasn't concern. He said that his hip looked like it wasn't seeded like the other one but it wasn't bad and he would check it later. He just turned 1 so I am taking him back for his 1 year check up this week. If it still don't look right I will check with a surgeon. He acts as if nothing is wrong now. He's a happy little pup.

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by My baby Milo

He tries to jump up at it instead sitting. He is so quick. I am going to keep trying.

Try holding it over top of his head, not in front of him. Sometimes that sets them off balance enough that they can't jump for it and their butts go down to steady themselves. Put your other hand on his butt to sit it down while you are doing it. Make sure you are saying "sit" firmly as you are doing this. I know it seems like you need 4 hands and 2 heads at times.

[My baby Milo]

Thanks, everyone for helping me teach Milo to do tricks. We have been working hard. He can now sit, lay down and roll over. yea! He is one sweet baby.