[jackh]

Pup is 7 months old, parents are OFA good and good. I don't want to be correcting that foot hanging out if he is just young and can't help his floppyness yet. I notice that he regularly sits like this on his own around the house. Sometimes he will adjust his bottom while sitting and the hip comes out and looks normal like the other side. What do yall think? Thanks.

 

[huntinlabs]

Looks like a puppy sit to me. But then again I don't know much lol

 

[Bridget Bodine]

bugging is when you line a dog up for a destination and he goes into avoidance behavior by looking everywhere but where you want him to. If your pup always sits with that left foot forward I might be concerned with a structural issue...elbows? The lopsided sit could just be being lazy or again could be a health issue. I would assume lazy sit before panicking , but be observant for any lameness

 

[Longgun]

It is probably just a puppy sit. I try to encourage a good sit by pulling up a bit on the lead when they are about to sit, but I don't get bent out of shape if they sit a little crooked. Just try to work on it in a positive way. That said just because the parents were both rated good doesn't mean your pup will be. I would check a little further into your pups back ground and see what else is there before getting worried.
deb

 

[Longgun]

It is probably just a puppy sit. I try to encourage a good sit by pulling up a bit on the lead when they are about to sit, but I don't get bent out of shape if they sit a little crooked. Just try to work on it in a positive way. That said just because the parents were both rated good doesn't mean your pup will be. I would check a little further into your pups back ground and see what else is there before getting worried.
deb

 

[jackh]

bugging is when you line a dog up for a destination and he goes into avoidance behavior by looking everywhere but where you want him to. If your pup always sits with that left foot forward I might be concerned with a structural issue...elbows? The lopsided sit could just be being lazy or again could be a health issue. I would assume lazy sit before panicking , but be observant for any lameness

No it isn't the front legs, its the back right foot that is usually slightly out with the hip tucked in. His front feet just happen to be staggered in this picture. He's an athlete and moves like the wind, no lameness at all.

It is probably just a puppy sit. I try to encourage a good sit by pulling up a bit on the lead when they are about to sit, but I don't get bent out of shape if they sit a little crooked. Just try to work on it in a positive way. That said just because the parents were both rated good doesn't mean your pup will be. I would check a little further into your pups back ground and see what else is there before getting worried.
deb

What do I look for in his background? I did some pretty extensive research on this breeding before taking a spot in the litter.

 

[truthseeker]

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Pup is 7 months old, parents are OFA good and good. I don't want to be correcting that foot hanging out if he is just young and can't help his floppyness yet. I notice that he regularly sits like this on his own around the house. Sometimes he will adjust his bottom while sitting and the hip comes out and looks normal like the other side. What do yall think? Thanks.

Jackh:

Using the lead and a little patience. Put the pup in the correct sit position. After awhile they will sit and then rollover. At this point just tap the hip with your foot. They will get the picture.

BTW, Bugging is a avoidance behavior.

Keith

 

[jackh]

Am I using the term bugging in the wrong situation? Graham defines it as "a nickname attached to the manifestations of being negatively affected by pressure to which the dog is not yet accustomed", then immediately goes on to describe a dog "slumping his rump over to one side with his back legs lying out to one side" because he's not yet conditioned to the pressure of being sticked/forced to sit.

I have seen my pup do exactly this, but even when he is in a seemingly good "tripod sit", that one foot still lies out slightly. That is why I'm wondering if this is a puppy sit or bugging.

 

[Kyle Bertram]

Just accidentally-on purpose, step on that foot. He'll stop putting it out there for you to step on! Not Bugging just being a bit lazy!

 

[captainjack]

Am I using the term bugging in the wrong situation? Graham defines it as "a nickname attached to the manifestations of being negatively affected by pressure to which the dog is not yet accustomed", then immediately goes on to describe a dog "slumping his rump over to one side with his back legs lying out to one side" because he's not yet conditioned to the pressure of being sticked/forced to sit.

I have seen my pup do exactly this, but even when he is in a seemingly good "tripod sit", that one foot still lies out slightly. That is why I'm wondering if this is a puppy sit or bugging.

Bugging is more often associated with the dog not looking out at a destination, as in FTP, or not making eye contact with handler as in sit to pile or simple casting drills.

Have you used gentle guidance with the lead or stepping on the offending foot to correct the sit position? If you have, and the pup persists, there could be physical issues with hips. Most often the pup just needs to be shown and you will work on this every time the dog sits for anything.

 

[Paul Frey]

My 2 year old BLF will sit like that around the house, but when training or hunting i do not see that. I think the excitement makes her sit more "alert".

 

[Longgun]

To do some research on the pedigree go onto k9data bring up the parents names and check for hip #s.
deb

 

[jackh]

Bugging is more often associated with the dog not looking out at a destination, as in FTP, or not making eye contact with handler as in sit to pile or simple casting drills.

Have you used gentle guidance with the lead or stepping on the offending foot to correct the sit position? If you have, and the pup persists, there could be physical issues with hips. Most often the pup just needs to be shown and you will work on this every time the dog sits for anything.

I usually poke the foot/toes with the heeling stick to get him to tuck the foot in closer. I will look closer in training today to see if the hip pokes out and looks normal when I do this. I am usually just looking down at the foot and poking until he tucks it in. I find that when I bring my leg around to step on the toe, he now knows what is coming and spins away from my leg. The heeling stick takes so much less movement and I get a better reaction to just poking the toe.

To do some research on the pedigree go onto k9data bring up the parents names and check for hip #s.
deb

Yes I did that before I reserved a spot in the litter. They are both OFA good.

 

[Hotchocolate]

Are you making the retrieves exciting for the pup ? Try using live birds. That should get him sitting proper.

 

[jackh]

Yes I mix in fun bumpers periodically during our obedience sessions. I am probably overreacting about this. He moves fine, is extremely agile and everything. I think I remember my last dog sitting like this some when she was young and it straightened up over time.

 

[JS]

Am I using the term bugging in the wrong situation?

Yes, I think you are.

Graham defines it as "a nickname attached to the manifestations of being negatively affected by pressure to which the dog is not yet accustomed", then immediately goes on to describe a dog "slumping his rump over to one side with his back legs lying out to one side" because he's not yet conditioned to the pressure of being sticked/forced to sit.

The definition by Evan is a good, descriptive one. The example that follows ... sitting on one side of his butt ... is only ONE of the possible manifestations.

Bugging is not so much a specific behavior, but rather a mindset the dog has ... he wants to avoid whatever he thinks is coming next. You try to "read" that mindset through his behavior. But you need to observe the entire behavior in the situation, to decide if your dog is bugging. Sitting sloppily could be a form of avoidance (bugging) or it may be just a sloppy habit or bad hips or fatigue or whatever. What is the dog's entire demeanor? Is this demeanor only present when he is faced with what he perceives as "scary" predicaments? If he demonstrates this same demeanor in normal, happy situations ... for example, if he sits sideways while you are fixing his food bowl ... it's probably not bugging.

In the pictures, what I see first is his disinterested, non-attentive gaze off to the side, looking away from you. While he was doing this, were you trying to get him to look at you? It does not appear his attention is focused on a distraction ... ears not up, etc ... so if you were trying to get his attention and he was looking away, pretending to be bored, hoping you would quit and leave him alone, he may have been bugging. You have to look at the whole picture.

Now if it IS, how will you deal with it?

JS

 

[jackh]

Yes, I think you are.




The definition by Evan is a good, descriptive one. The example that follows ... sitting on one side of his butt ... is only ONE of the possible manifestations.

Bugging is not so much a specific behavior, but rather a mindset the dog has ... he wants to avoid whatever he thinks is coming next. You try to "read" that mindset through his behavior. But you need to observe the entire behavior in the situation, to decide if your dog is bugging. Sitting sloppily could be a form of avoidance (bugging) or it may be just a sloppy habit or bad hips or fatigue or whatever. What is the dog's entire demeanor? Is this demeanor only present when he is faced with what he perceives as "scary" predicaments? If he demonstrates this same demeanor in normal, happy situations ... for example, if he sits sideways while you are fixing his food bowl ... it's probably not bugging.

In the pictures, what I see first is his disinterested, non-attentive gaze off to the side, looking away from you. While he was doing this, were you trying to get him to look at you? It does not appear his attention is focused on a distraction ... ears not up, etc ... so if you were trying to get his attention and he was looking away, pretending to be bored, hoping you would quit and leave him alone, he may have been bugging. You have to look at the whole picture.

Now if it IS, how will you deal with it?

JS

Thanks for the clarification. So a sloppy sit could be bugging, depending on the entire demeanor of the dog. My dog sits like this regularly around the house, so it most likely is not bugging/avoidance. When I took these pictures, I told him to sit, dropped the lead, walked in front of him, squatted down and pulled out my phone to take pictures. I was not trying to get his attention while taking these pictures. I think he was watching a couple off to our right walking in the park.

 

[Lab&cockerguy]

That looks like a typical puppy/lazy sit to me. I tried the various correction techniques on my last pup, none of which worked. He finally grew up and quit doing it. Your's is a great looking dog by the way!