How to Train a Shiba Inu to Sit
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Introduction
Your Shiba Inu, much like his cousin the Akita, is a beautiful fluffy pup. He has a strong personality, is sweet and kind, gentle and eager to learn. These dogs are highly intelligent but not always the easiest to train. Shiba Inu pups are incredibly agile so be sure once he is through basic foundational obedience training to put him in agility training as well. Before he can do those advanced tricks, he will need to learn how to sit. The command to sit is a foundation command for basic obedience training. Many other commands will build upon this 'sit' command.
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Defining Tasks
Shiba Inu pups need a lot of exercise as they have incredibly high energy. You can build your training sessions into scheduled playtime with your dog to keep him entertained, engaged, and moving.
To teach your dog to sit, you will entice him with a tasty treat, encourage him to put himself in a sit position, and then reward him with positive reinforcement. This will be behavior-based training with tasty treats for rewards. Some dogs, while waiting for their treat, will automatically sit due to impatience. This kind of training is condition training and can also work for your Shiba Inu as you teach him to sit. You can train an adult dog to sit, or you can begin with the sit command when you begin to train your puppy.
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Getting Started
Because your little guy has lots of energy, you can schedule training sessions during playtime. Just to be sure you can stop long enough to get his attention for short sessions. These training moments will happen fast and can occur between play times. To reward your pup during his positive reinforcement basic obedience training sessions, you will need some treats to give to him. Be sure to take several with you as you will try to get him to sit several times during one short training session.
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The Use a Treat Method
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Get attention
Get your pup's attention by standing in front of him. If he doesn’t slow down long enough to give you his attention, show him that you have food. That will likely get his attention if he’s highly distracted.
Entice with food
Once your Shiba Inu notices you have food, hold it up just slightly over his head. Make sure his eyes are on it and you have his full attention.
Move treat
With your dog's eyes on the treat, move it back slightly over the top of his head towards the back of his neck. Watch what your little guy does when you move this food.
Sit
If your Shiba Inu is like most dogs, when you move the food over his nose towards the back of his head, he will lift his chin trying to get to it. And his chin lifts higher, he will likely sit on his bottom. This is an instinctive motion to keep him from falling over or losing his balance while tipping his head back.
Command
When your little guy sits after following the treat, say the command 'sit' and give him a treat.
Repeat to condition
This is the first time your Shiba Inu has put himself in the 'sit' position by command. You will need to practice this often to condition him to understand the command word "sit" and pair it with the action of sitting.
Practice with food
Be sure you practice this command often throughout the day. Also, make sure even if he learns to sit by command only without the treat over his head, to reward him with the food once he lands the trick.
The With a Toy Method
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Play together
Spend a few minutes playing with your Shiba Inu. Get him excited with a toy and take it away from him several times. When you take it away and give it back, it builds his desire to have that particular toy.
Stop playing
Stop playing with your dog and hold the toy up over his head.
Attention
You should have his attention simply by hanging on to the toy and not allowing him to have it this time.
Command and move
Give your pup the 'sit' command and slowly move the toy over his head towards his tail.
Sit
When you move that toy your dog wants so badly over his back towards his tail, he’s likely to sit. Some dogs may actually turn around to try to follow the toy. Others will sit. If yours doesn’t sit right away, be patient, make sure you have his attention, and repeat the action again.
Sitting
Once your Shiba Inu is sitting, give him verbal congratulations with lots of excitement and the toy as a reward.
Practice makes perfect
Practice this often with your Shiba Inu. You can use a toy or even a treat if you want to entice him with food to learn this trick. Eventually, you will stop holding the toy over his head and always say the command 'sit' while rewarding him by giving him the toy.
The Condition to Sit Method
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Catch sitting
Conditioning your dog to understand the command to sit will happen when he hears you begin stating the command as soon as he sits and give him a treat for doing so.
Stand in front
Stand before your Shiba Inu and hold a treat where he can see it.
Wait
Be patient as you wait for him to sit. He will as long as he thinks he’s getting a treat.
Sit
When your Shiba Inu sits, either out of curiosity or boredom, give him a treat.
Repeat
Repeat this several times stating the command as soon as you take pause and wait, then rewarding when he sits.
Command only
With lots of practice, you should be able to say the command to sit and expect your pup to sit by command. Give it some time and practice he will eventually get it.
Rewards
Be sure you are rewarding him each time you practice together.
Written by Stephanie Plummer
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 04/05/2018, edited: 01/08/2021
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Training Questions and Answers
Kona
Shiba Inu
7 Weeks
Question
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0 found this helpful
Kona knows how to sit when it’s just the 2 of us by ourselves but when other factors come into play she loses attention.
Nov. 27, 2020
Kona's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
257 Dog owners recommended
Hello! Yes this is typical. The best thing you can do is practice sit with her in environments she is distracted in. Keep treats on you so she focuses on you and reward her for sitting when she does.
Nov. 27, 2020