Super glue!

I recently posted about Vito's amazing levitation powers during a retrieve. Since he can now return an object promptly to my hand, regardless of where my hand is, I've been trying to teach him to do a formal sit in front of me with the object. So I've been telling him "sit", giving him an object, and want to click while he holds the object for half a second while sitting. Well as posted earlier, Vito's front feet immediately leave the ground and he goes to "beg" position once he is holding something and supposed to be sitting. Thanks to some great advice, I tried putting a little bit of pressure on him by leaning, and then taking a step forward to see what would happen. Well Vito practically did a backflip as his paws flew wildly in the air to try and maintain balance and then dropped the dumbbell as he tumbled to the ground.

Well I went to film it today so maybe people could better see what I need to fix, and wouldn't you know it but that little stinker stopped doing it!! Ah, the power of a little super glue.
Just kidding, but not once did any paw leave the ground when he was holding something. After I clicked and took it one paw raised up as he grabbed his treat, but zero paws off ground during the actual hold! I of course didn't do that many trials so as to quit on a good, no, a great note (one of the few times I actually am a good trainer and quit when ahead).

I swear Vito is some type of evil genius. He must have known I was videotaping and wanted to show the world that he knew all along what I wanted him to do!

Of course I know that I will see some levitation on many more trials in the future before it is completely gone, but at least he got several jackpots today for maintaining a sit :)