Sitting Posture - Page 1

I must admit that I am novice in terms of knowledge about GSD compared to you guys out there. I have his six months old female who prefers to sit on one side as shown in the picture below. Is it fine or I need to do something about it? Also any comment

Many dogs, especially pups, will sit like this. The first thing I alway think about is whether they sit like that because it is more comfortable. So having a vet look at her, perhaps even submitting preliminary x-rays to the OFA to make sure hips are ok, is a good idea.

Assuming there is no physical reason for the pup sitting like this, it then becomes a training issue. Who cares if she sits like that when she is not training or competing? But, if you intend to do some formal obedience, yes, you will loose points for her sitting like this. So the trick then is to do quick sits with her, immediately reward her and then "break" or "free" her from the sitting position. In this way, she will learn over time what is proper and expected. Do you know how to properly teach her to do a quick sit? If not, PM me and I will be glad to try to explain.

Good luck and enjoy her.

I am a pet owner of two GSDs. My younger dog did the same thing when he was a pup, and I taught him the command "sit straight". I did it just because I thought it might not be good for his hips to sit that way, slouched. He grew out of it sometime in his first year.

In older dogs, this can sometimes be an indicator of hip problems, but this is VERY common in puppies.  It may just be what is more comfortable for the dog.  If you talk to a behaviorist, they will tell you that the sit is not a natural position for a dog and you will rarely ever see wild dogs sitting.  Don't know how true this is, but it is what I was told.

 Hmmm.  I'm just picturing all those silhouettes of coyotes howling, in all the gift shops in New Mexico.  They are sitting.  Maybe it's just sitting to howl?

You never see racing greyhounds sitting either.  I think it is a position dogs learn by being with people, probably initially when they are pups and they fall into a sit while looking up at you when you feed them.

Margaret N-J

Needs to be corrected.  Now

It's called a lazy sit. You resit everytime they sit like that and praise for correct sit.

DO not let dog continue sitting like that.
I had an excellent ofa hipped girl sat like that years ago..no one told me to correct it.
Adrian Ledda told me 4 yrs ago not acceptible.

correct it immediately.

Yeah, she's just in relaxed and "lazy" sit as yellowrose mentioned.  Get her attention with a tasty treat and have her sit, I'll bet you she'll sit properly with those big ears perked straight up, eyes darting back and forth between the treat and your face!   Big praise and rewards when she does it properly.  She'll grow out of it eventually :D