Take a Seat!
On the lighter side of the Arty’s Tricks & Tales blog. Join us as we share a new trick!
Now there’s a thought . . .
It feels so wonderful when you walk into a room and someone says, “Take a seat!” This simple phrase, Take a Seat is a welcome invitation! It signifies a willingness to engage, listen, and be present. It’s similar to being offered a seat at the table - a powerful feeling of inclusion. Teaching this trick reminded me that sometimes we need to change our approach so others can succeed, just like I had to change my approach with Arty.
Mr. (Exhausted) Smarty Arty
Mr. Smarty Arty continues to be an excellent moniker for him - sometimes though it can be exhausting spending all that energy to learn new tricks and meet new people! Keep reading to see his new little trick ~
Quietly, though, looks like Arty may need the rest.
I thought I’d try with his back legs up onthe seat, then have him SIT. Seemed like a good plan, until our little “mishap”! So I had to change it up a bit.
As you can see, Arty is game to try anything! He trusted me when I was gently moving him into position. The “Whoops!” video showed me that I was approaching this trick the wrong way. He needed to begin with all four paws being on the stool, then move his front feet down into position, leaving his hind end on the stool.
Using commands Mr. Smarty Arty already knows (JUMP UP, SIT, WAIT, STEP, FEET or FOOT) I used them together in a way to help him position himself so he would end up sitting on the stool with his front feet on the floor. JUMP UP was the word to get him to pop onto the stool. Then in order to place his front feet on the floor. I used the word FOOT or FEET., and pointed to the floor. He was a little confused and whined a bit. That's part of the process of him figuring out what I was asking.
Once he had his feet in the right place, I asked him to SIT, keeping his front feet in place. Then the WAIT command, and of course a treat once he got into position. Lots more practice and he has learned it.
He can now successfully “Take a Seat” when asked.
It’s a fun trick that begins with some basic cues the pup needs to understand. These are SIT, WAIT, STOP, and FEET (or paws) singled out, so you can control where and when he puts them down, DOWN (partially, when asked, just front feet). Then again SIT, ending up sitting with the hind end on the stool, and the front feet on the floor/ground.
SUCCESS! Mr. Smarty Arty loves performing his tricks! He’s clearly comfortable doing this one. We were outside with turkeys no doubt lurking near-by (see his last blog “Spontaneous Joy”) and yet Arty performed the trick with confidence! Now it was time to *challenge him just a bit.
*Training Note In order to test your pup and their understanding of the trick, it’s a great idea to perform that trick in many different locations, in places where there are lots of distractions (like outside with turkeys near by!). Each new place they do the trick successfully solidifies the trick in their mind.
The challenge was to apply it to another type of “seat” - in this case, a rock! I had to be willing to recognize how he was looking at the request, and then adjust what I was asking him to do. Because he wasn’t stressed, he was able to learn the trick. We practiced a lot and now, he not only learned the trick, he was able to transfer that trick to another setting — on a rock! And he did it admirably.
Arty doesn’t understand the phrase “take a seat” like we do. He learned the trick faster and with less stress when I let go of my original approach to the trick and tried to understand his needs instead. This reinforced a powerful idea: a shift in perspective is often necessary when communicating with anyone in our lives. When we adjust our approach and consider the person across from us—whether in a business meeting or on a Zoom call, or even at your kitchen table—we can help them succeed. This means being engaged, listening and being present, allowing their needs to drive the conversation.
Will you invite someone to take a seat at your table? A friend? A co-worker? A neighbor? Just like I had to shift my approach to help Mr. Smarty Arty succeed, maybe there’s someone in your life who needs you to do the same. It's an act of grace that can transform not only their life but also your own.
So, who might you invite to your table today?
On a side note, a greeting card is a lovely way to invite someone to your table. :)
