# Teaching my jack Russell to sit and wait



## Beccahhhh (Nov 25, 2012)

Hi, so I want to take my jack Russell to agility for fun, it's at the same place I take my dachshund training, I don't take my jrt as the Daxi needs socialisation more, anyway I asked about my jrt starting agility and the trainer said as long as she can sit and wait, she can sit and does wait but not for long, so I just wanted some advice on how I can improve the waiting part really lol, the class starts on Thursday so I haven't got long, I am going to keep reinforcing it as much as I can but does anyone have any tips on improving it?


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## sezeelson (Jul 5, 2011)

Use a marker or matt for your dog to wait on. This sets out a clear visual boundary of where your dog must stay. This can be a towel, dog blanket, cushion or even a sheet of news paper! Dogs learn a lot better with physical or hand signals so hold your hand up flat with your palm facing the dog while you are stepping backwards. 

Place your dog in a sit-stay, walk 3 paces back, return and treat, walk 3 paces back again then return, treat and release with an 'ok!' Of which ever word you use as a release command. 

The release is very important! 

You can the repeat the exercise, I guess this should last about 10 seconds at first?

After a few repetitions, you can pause on your third step backwards for a few seconds to increase the time in which he stays for. Remembering to release after every completed set. 

After he gets the hang of it and you feel your both making progress, you can start to phase out the second 3 paces back then treat by removing the 3rd step then the 2nd etc.. So you will eventually end up with this sequence; place your dog in a sit-stay, walk back 3 paces, pause for ten seconds, return, treat and release. One your happy with your timing, you can take 5 paces back or turn you back quickly, walk back and forth etc. so you mix it up a bit and proof the stay commands  hope this helps!


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## Willylee (Mar 21, 2013)

Love this one.

How long has the dog to wait for, did the agility guy give you any idea?

You have one of the best little earth dogs going, a Jack Russell Terrier, a fiesty, bundle of energy, ideal for agility but asking it to sit and wait for any length of time will take until it's geriatric.

These are hunters, chasers and wannabe killers and not renowned for patience. I think you've had your leg pulled or the guy giving out the rules hasn't a clue or an ulterior motive.

Go back and ask for a more detailed request, bring the guy to task. 

Try as you may with all the general guidelines of "sit and stay" you will get some success, but if something moves the bum of your terrier will be up and off in a flash.

Did the guy really mean "quiet on the lead".

I bred and worked these terriers for years as well as Patterdales/Lakelands and Borders and to get these little devils to sit still will take forever and mine were trained to the whistle and worked individually or as a pack.

So he wants the dog to sit still and then run around like a fireball on an agility course and then sit still again, please don't be disappointed but this guy is so wrong it is beyond belief.

I'm actually attending an agility meeting this weekend with a long standing friend and her Cocker only has to sit, under her control for a short period before he is sent on the course, surely that is what is required and will take little training to reach this level. My friend is also anti terriers as we spoke about this subject only a few days ago, perhaps this guiy is trying to push you away as all terriers have a habit of sinking their teeth into anything that moves, believe me I have judged terriers at shows.

You have two of my favourite little dogs, never owned a Dachsund, but having travelled extensively through Germany have seen may fine examples of the breed. I still have fond memories of my Jack Russells and have a leather bound copy of the parsons memoirs complete with original watercolours. I have just one Border terrier left now, who in her head thinks she can still do a days work, which is what a terrier is all about.

Best of luck, but please go back and find out the real reason for him telling you that ruling, but most of all enjoy the dogs, both of them, they're brilliant.

Sit and stay.......patience will win as the previous thread mentions.

Willylee


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

I teach the wait in a few different ways, one way which terriers seem so love is to gently throw food over their head (aiming at their collar) with an exagerated hand gesture. After a few times when your hand is raised they start going backwards and usually sit (head goes up, bum goes down). With practise you can really extend the time they sit and wait, as long as the treat eventually comes. It's how I get all my photos of young puppies sitting still.  

Another way is to teach LEAVE, get the dog into a sit, then put a treat between their paws. Again if you exagerate the gestures you make, you can after a while pretend to put the treat on the floor and your dog will be convinced it is there. It's how I got Tinker to do his minute down stay for his Bronze Good Citizen.  He had to do a mock test which I wasn't expecting, and I hadn't done a down stay before, other than a few games at home with my other dogs. He did his minute with no problem.

Good luck, JRTs are fantastic at agility. Quick and agile, although my JRT tends to get so excited he ignores me so we gave up. If the weather ever warms up Tinker will be starting.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

JRT can and do make great agility dogs and succeed in other disciplines too. May I suggest you take advice from those who have a) succeeded at the top level in your chosen sport and b) who have trained many different breeds and types of dogs and c) have good protocols.

Susan Garrett is a good place to start

Start Line "Fun" | Susan Garrett&#039;s Dog Training Blog

Start Line Brilliance Begins in the Dryer? | Susan Garrett&#039;s Dog Training Blog

her crate games dvd is superb


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## tanglewood3 (Nov 13, 2012)

Remeber the 3 Ds when teaching stays.
Duration
Distance
Distactions
You can't teach all three at once.

Start with duration while you're close to the dog.
When you increase the distance, reduce the time.
Increase distactions gradually, first being close to the dog, then further away.
If he breaks, you are taking it too quickly; reduce the criteria.

Watch your body language. It is easy to inadvertantly put in a visual command that you are unaware of.


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## Beccahhhh (Nov 25, 2012)

Willylee said:


> Love this one.
> 
> How long has the dog to wait for, did the agility guy give you any idea?
> 
> ...


Just sit and stay, it is just for fun agility and not many of the dogs are good off the lead so the trainer said we all go in the arena one at a time and the rest wait outside, it's in a horse riding arena thing, so lead work is not really an issue as she can't get out or even see the other dogs, unless she has a doggy periscope I don't know about haha, I don't mean this to sound wrong at all, but one if the ladies who goes to dog training is also starting on Thursday and her dog is awful round other dogs, and the trainer said she is fine to start, it is basically a dog exercise class and something to do for fun, just the thought of my dog in any kind of a competition is laughable, I just think she would enjoy it and hopefully I will too  thanks everyone for the advice, I just need to get somewhere with no distractions to practice, which is hard when my daxi follows me EVERYWHERE lol


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2013)

Willylee said:


> Love this one.
> 
> How long has the dog to wait for, did the agility guy give you any idea?
> 
> ...


Hi, are you saying a JRT can't sit and wait in the face of distractions? That's crazy, of course they can, I see it all the time!
JRT and Parson's are awesome little dogs completely capable of all the requirements of agility and obedience, even Schutzhund! 

What a defeatist thing to say to an owner, especially one who is supposedly familiar with the breed!
"Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those doing it."

As mentioned, Susan Garrett is probably one of the more visible trainers who trials JRTs, but she's not at all alone. I LOVE her crate games DVD and highly recommend it.


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## Willylee (Mar 21, 2013)

Spoke to my colleague today about agility regarding the need to sit and wait and was told that it's unimportant and was confused that you were told it was a requirement. 

Your dog will need to be steady at times as it will have to place paws on certain areas around the course, the see saw for example. That can be done with patient training.

I am going to agility competitions this week end, a first time for me and looking forward to the experience.

Terriers will be there and I will take great pleasure in watching these fireballs perform.

Best of luck with your dog.

Willylee


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2013)

Willylee said:


> Spoke to my colleague today about agility regarding the need to sit and wait and was told that it's unimportant


That's one of the odder bits of major misinformation I've heard!


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

I don't even do agility regularly and know you have to get the dog to sit and wait at the start. I've done it with terriers, and they can sit and wait very well with the right training.


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## Beccahhhh (Nov 25, 2012)

I'm sorry some of you are misunderstanding me, it is for FUN only, and the trainer who told me she needs to learn sit and wait, it is her class so Im sure she knows that they do need sit and wait to be in the class lol, this is not a serious agility class or a competition of any kind. As you can tell by me asking advice to teach my dog to wait, She and i are in no position to take up agility at any kind of competitive level  but anyway on another note, I took some of the advice re hand signals etc, I used the wait signal we use in class so I didn't confuse her, she is ok but not brilliant, hopefully it will be enough lol if not what's the worst that can happen, ill get told not to go back probably haha


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