This is a cute and easy trick that strengthens your dog’s back, stomach, and hind leg muscles making it a great work out too! Even better, it might just be one of the easiest tricks to teach your dog. The only requirement? Your dog already offers a sit or has sit on command.
First Steps
Get a bunch of small and tasty treats that your dog really likes. You are going to lure your dog using the treats, so he has to like them enough to want to follow them with his nose.
First, either cue your dog to sit, or wait for him to offer one. It doesn’t really matter unless you want to be able to cue a “sit pretty” or “beg” from a stand without asking for the sit first. If your cue is going to be “Sit Pretty” then it already has the first cue (sit) embedded into the cue, so it won’t really matter.
Take it Slow!
As mentioned earlier, this trick uses a lot of muscles that your dog might not normally use. So in the beginning it’s important to let your dog come up slowly and only as far as he is comfortable. At first, she may only be able to lift her paws up an inch or two and hold it for a second before becoming shaky.
If you notice your dog is wobbly or shaky, drop your hand slowly to lower them back down before they fall over.
Only lure your dog into position a few times each training session while her muscles are building.
Removing the Lure
You want to get rid of the cookies as quickly as possible. After the third or fourth lure, remove the cookie from your hand and see if your dog will still follow your hand into the “begging” position. If so, reward while in that position. If your dog doesn’t follow your empty hand three times in a row, go back to luring once or twice and then try with no treat again. The quicker you remove the lure the easier.
Continuing
Keep working on it until your dog has the strength for a nice, solid, sit pretty. Every dog balances slightly different: some keep their front legs dangling down (meerkat-like), some raise one up, and others keep both bent in front of them at the same angle. This just adds character and makes your trick unique. What you are looking for is a nice, smooth transition up with no sign of shaking and the ability to hold it for a few seconds.
Add the Cue
Once your dog is holding his “sit pretty” for a few seconds, you can start adding a verbal cue. Choose whatever you want, but decide before adding the cue. My cue is “Say Please.” You can call it whatever you want.
Add the cue by saying your words as your dog lifts into position following your hand signal. After several repetitions, you can start fading the hand, if you wish, by saying the verbal a split-second before the hand signal. Do a few repetitions and then just say the verbal. If your dog responds, great! If he fails three times, go back to using the hand signal with the verbal a few more times.
About the Author
Based in Wilsonville, Ore., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and works as a full time trainer. She is the founder of A Fairytail House, a unique all-positive all-sport dog training facility that helps rescue dogs in her area and provides free seminars and training classes for the community. In her spare time, she trains and competes in herding, agility, obedience, rally, and conformation with her Shetland Sheepdogs. She smartly married a Veterinary Technician, who helps keep the fur kids happy and healthy, and provides a quick resource for articles.
