Premier MannersMinder Instruction Manual page 25

Chapter 6: Say Please by Sitting
on him to keep him down, make like an icicle and
freeze so that he knows you're ignoring him. You
can even turn your back on him. Be completely quiet
and still.
This will puzzle your punchy pooch and give his
wheels a workout. If he wasn't attached to you by a
leash or stuck in a small room with you, he might
give up and find a simpler game. But since he's
hungry for your special treat and strapped to you by
his leash, you can just wait him out. Eventually he'll
sit. Immediately give him a treat before he has a
chance to get up.
Next, walk away a few steps while hiding the treat
in your hand and repeat this exercise. If he starts to
wander, get his attention by making a smooching
sound. Don't bother using his name unless you're
100 percent sure he'll look at you immediately.
Otherwise, you'll just be teaching him to ignore
his name. If making a sound doesn't immediately
get his attention the first time, then hold still and
just wait (sometimes for quite awhile) until he gets
bored and figures out that he'll continue to be bored
until he sits again and gives you his attention.
Once you have his attention again and he decides to
make another try for the treat, he'll still start with
the old song-and-dance routine. When it just earns
a cold shoulder, he'll start thinking about what
worked last time. As soon as he sits, send the treat
express-delivery before he stands up.
Practice this 10 times in row and Fido should clearly
have the concept that if he wants something from
you he should offer a sit in order to say "please."
Now you can switch to giving treats intermittently
and replacing with praise or petting (whichever
reward he wants).
Step 2: Sits in Rapid Succession
Now, practice getting sits in rapid succession. Each
time your dog sits, give treats while he's still sit-
ting, then take several steps away and repeat. Give
only one treat if he's already good at offering a sit
Step 2: Sits in Rapid Succession
Now, practice sits in rapid succession.
Each time your dog sits, give treats
while he's still sitting, then take several
steps away and repeat. Work up to
10 sits in a minute.
Immediately give a treat
while Fido is still sitting.
Checklist
Day 1
❏ ❏ ❏
Day 2
❏ ❏ ❏
Day 3
❏ ❏ ❏
Don't use any verbal cue because we
don't want to have to micromanage
Fido's sit behavior, rather we want him
to say "please" automatically every
time he wants something from you.
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