I never make my dogs sit for pets. I think it’s a bad idea and I’ll tell you why.

REMOVING THE OPTION TO LEAVE

Basically, by forcing dogs to sit for pets, you’re removing their option to leave should they become uncomfortable with the interaction.

WHY IT MATTERS

Let me tell you a story. Years ago, I was in a pet store with my dog, Gauge. Gauge is super friendly and confident, never met a person he didn’t love. Think of that stereotypical lab personality. That’s him.

Two kids approached and asked if they could pet him. Being the super friendly guy he is, I said sure, and these kids were ALL OVER HIM. One is petting his tail, the other is patting the top of his head, then moves on to hugging him, kissing him, the works. While they’re rambunctiously and annoyingly petting him, they’re also loudly telling him what a good boy he is. He was fine with this for a minute, but then he wasn’t. And what did he do when he wasn’t? He clearly and pointedly stepped away from them. That was my cue that he was done.

But what if I’d forced him to sit so he couldn’t escape? It could have escalated to a growl, aggressive bark, or snap. Even if it didn’t, and he was able to tolerate the situation, it would not have been a pleasant encounter for him. The last thing I want to do to my dogs is give them bad experiences with kids. He needs to have the opportunity to walk away.

And that’s with a friendly, social dog. Imagine a less confident dog, a dog less sure of new people, being forced to sit and endure petting from a stranger. It’s a recipe for disaster, and it’s not fair to the dog, who will likely be labelled as aggressive if they can’t cope with the stressful situation and growl or snap to stop the interaction.

WORK ON CALMNESS INSTEAD OF SITTING

Most people don’t actually care about the sit. They think it’s something they’re supposed to do or they think it’s how to keep their dog from jumping. But actually you can teach calmness without putting your dog in an uncomfortable situation. Teach your dog to simply keep their feet on the floor. This can easily be done while your dog stands.