Sit means Sit or Wait & Stay - Page 1

Sit means sit, my dog must sit until I say otherwise.   In the sit out of motion exercise (schH) you can only give one command anyway.

Hello sueincc,  I presume "sit out of motion" is the same as the UK "ASSD" - i.e. positions on the move in slow, normal and fast pace.  During heelwork the dog is given three positions to hold, until Handler returns walks passed, about turns, and picks up dog to maintain the heelwork.  In this situation, only one command is given - but equally in this exercise of heelwork the dog recognises that requirement.

I am referring to a general Stay exercise either in-sight or out-of-sight.  Compared to a Novice Recall or an A-Recall - whereby the dog will be required to re-join the Handler when instructed.

In fact different again would be a Retrieve, Scent or Sendaway, where I would not expect to tell a dog to Sit at heel before we begin.  Just his/her name should bring him into that position.

Varying commands for different purposes, or almost no command, but observation of body language or the exercise itself, requires a dog to be aware of his/her part in the team work.

Again, nothing right or wrong but the preferences of Handler and dog working together, providing complying to applicable regulations.


Regards,
Vixen

I show in AKC obedience so I use Sit then a stay/hand signal.  We do alot of demos and other stuff with our crew so stay basically means you'll stay there and no matter what distractions we use don't move.  If I give just a sit most times I'll be doing other obedience immediately afterward such as hand signals etc.  This helps the dog know whats to be expected.  It works with our dogs and doesn't seem to cause confusion etc. 
Amy

In SchH all commands are one word only except for the call out of the blind and running the blinds.

So whether in sight or out of sight, it's one command "Platz" or "Down".  A second command would be faulted.

I use the command sit 99% of the time. I mean stay until I tell you to do something else or release you. However, I use sit wait when the sitting duration will be very short and/or we are not doing OB work. An example would be sit wait while I open the door to let you out/ sit wait while I set your food bowel down. I often wondered if this was a good idea, but Prince seems to understand the concept pretty well.....

Quote: 

I often wondered if this was a good idea, but Prince seems to understand the concept pretty well.....

It is the consistancy that is important.

I knew a lot of dogs when I was teaching group classes, that if the owner said sit, and forgot to say stay, that the dog would just follow. : )

That was when I started teaching the concept of sit means stay in a sit position. 

If you are doing a specific sport or whatever, and there is an opportunity to add an additional command, then most people will take that opportunity. I teach wait as it's own command, like the dog is ahead of me and I say wait. I work on that, but not a lot, just so they get the idea.

New people get confused with this, but that is mostly because they have not gone through it before, and the "plan" in teaching a dog is not as firmly in their head as it is the second or third time.

For me and my dogs sit means sit. Until another command. If it will be for a somewhat long or long period then it's a down, until they are released.  

Hi Vixen I'm not sure if you were asking me another question, but I will try to clarify my response.  In my sport, (schutzhund) sit means sit.  Out of sight, in sight, no matter what, sit means sit.  When I'm heeling, if I come to a stop my dog sits.  Same thing with the dumbell, again no double command.  When I pick up the dumbell I fuss to my spot.  My dog stops & sits when I stop.  No extra command to sit no extra command to stay.  I throw the dumbell, then give the command to go pick up the dumbell.  The send out is an out of motion exercise (I'm heeling forward then give send out command, no stopping), so the sit has nothing to do with this exercise.