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I have a 10 month old Great Dane that I am training to be a competition obedience dog. We have just started "formal" training and I am stumped on what seems the easiest thing in the world: Sit.

When my dog sits, he sits back on his haunches instead of gathering himself into the sit. He's always done this. Normally it wouldn't be an issue but with a giant breed dog this ends up putting him a good 4 ft. away.

I have tried capturing the behavior through marker training, luring, physically moving his body but nothing has clicked with him. I don't remember any of my past Danes doing this so I'm wondering if it's something he may just grow out of..... Any ideas?

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Last edited by Gambit Great Danes on 3/5/2015 10:30:16 AM

I don't keep Danes but in my experience this breed is one that will 'back' into a sit, ie back up to a chair, sofa or lap and prefer to have it's rear higher than ground level . I presume for comfort. I wonder therefore if it's both easier and more comfortable to 'back into a sit' rather than 'gathering up into a sit' and might just be breed idiosyncratic.

Can't help as it is not a problem I have faced, but I am quoting from an earlier post, on a different obedience thread by Super Uber Kennels leading to a facebook site that may help:

"Finally, if you are on Facebook, I'd recommend joining the closed group "Competition Dog Obedience"... https://www.facebook.com/groups/5762103470/ "

I have since joined and found it a very interesting site. Someone on there may be able to help.

Perfect. I'll go ahead and join and see if I can get some advice. Thanks.

I noticed a similar thing with my tiny Papillon but since she's so little I didn't try for more than 40 mins to get her to gather instead but she didn't grow out of it so I wouldn't be relying on that happening for your Dane.

grif,

My shiba does this too, tends to back into a sit, and she's never grown out of it.

You need to teach a tuck sit. Retrain sit and use your hand to tuck the butt into a sit rather than letting him rock back.