Hind-End Awareness

MericoX

Roos, Poos, & a Wog!
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#1
So I've got a few tricks in mind to teach the dogs, all of which need some hind-end awareness, and it'll help with agility as well.

I've managed to teach them all to step up on a box (front paws only) but after that I'm loss. Videos I've seen the dog remains straight to the person and they move around that way... but the schnauzers just flail around.

Help? This is day two and they're getting real good with getting up on it.
 

lizzybeth727

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#3
I've never taught the pivot using this "box" method. Instead, I just use a tall object - like a chair, or a pylon, or even a pillar on a building or a tree - stand with the dog in heel position between me and the tall object, and then just heel around the object. You want a skinny object so that you can make a tight circle around it. When the dog's back feet move in toward you, click/treat. Timing with your click is MOST important here; back end awareness is of course a difficult concept for many dogs, so if your timing is off your dog will have a harder time figuring it out. After a few reps, though, you will notice your dog moving his back legs deliberately in toward you. When he gets good at this, you can loose the barrier and just do tight pivots, still clicking the back legs moving. When they get good at it without the barrier, you can add the cue.

ETA: If you're still having a hard time, I've seen some trainers do it the way I described (heeling around a barrier) but placing a carpet square or rubber mat or something with a different texture than the floor you're working on, strategically so that when the dog pivots in, his back feet - and only his back feet, not his front feet - land on the carpet square. The dog will notice the change in texture and perhaps gain back end awareness a little quicker. I haven't had to try this yet, but maybe I will with my next dog just to see if it does go quicker. :)
 

adojrts

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#5
Mer, you can also use a large book which is more stable than a box, remember, one step one click and only work for about 2 mins per session max on shaping a behaviour.
 

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