Lightning was able to perform Step 2 of pile work, sit to pile, the first time we tried it, and again the second time several retrieves later in the same session. But when we tried Step 3, sit from pile, in the next session, he was unable to perform it in several tries, so we used the next few sessions to shape the behavior a little at a time.

The sessions were as follows:

1. In the first session, place Lightning in a Sit, walk some distance away, and call him to me. As he runs toward me, whistle Sit and, if necessary, immediately also say Sit. As soon as he sits, fire a blank pistol and throw a bumper for him to chase. The gunshot and chase turns this into an exciting drill for Lightning, creating high reinforcement history for the remote sit on cue. Repeat two or three times per session and repeat as many sessions as needed till fluent.
2. In next session, place Lightning in a Sit, give him a 2” white bumper with no rope to hold in his mouth, and continue as in the previous step. After firing the pistol, run to him, take the bumper, and quickly as possible throw it for him to chase.
3. With Lightning sitting at heel, walk away, place the bumper on the ground, walk back, and cue Back. When Lightning picks up the bumper, proceed as in previous step.
4. With Lightning sitting at heel, throw the bumper, then cue Back. Proceed as in previous step.
5. With Lightning sitting at heel, walk away, throw the bumper even further in the direction you were walking, walk back, cue Back, and proceed as in previous step.
6. Now we’re ready to run sit from pile as Mike Lardy illustrates in the TRT video.

For Lightning, sit from pile took more sessions than I expected after watching Mike demonstrate it in the TRT video. But breaking it down and shaping it a little at a time, Lightning made good progress and soon accomplished the objective.

Along the way, Lightning received high value reinforcement many times for sitting on the whistle, converting it from a difficult cue when we began this work to a cue he was eager and quick to respond to. Hopefully that reinforcement will carry forward, blending with other kinds of reinforcement he experiences, as he is asked to sit on whistle countless more times in training and competition in the coming years.