I'm working my brittany up to competing in AKC obedience trials. We are having a bit of a problem with the 'sit in front' portion of the recall. I have trained dogs for competive obedience before but for some reason I can't figure out what is going on (more than likely something I am doing and he is just confused)
Here's what happens; I call him to me, he comes happily trotting up to me and sits...about two feet away. (another problem is that when my hands are at my sides he wants to automatically finish, but that is where your hands are supposed to be at the trial during a recall I do believe) So I try to coax him closer to me but he either gets confused and plops on the ground or tries to do a finish. (He's trained to do a flip finish.)
I have not been able to figure out how to get him to sit right in front of me. To coax him near me I know I end up bending over at the waist a bit and holding my hands in front of me at waist level with a treat, all things that I can't do in the ring. He has the idea he just won't sit close enough.
I use a clicker and a target stick most of the time so I thought maybe I could hold the target stick really close to my waist and he would come touch it and sit. He comes and touches the tip but and sits when I ask but he takes a step back before doing so.
That's another problem we have, I've never had a dog who takes a step backwards before they sit, verses just butting their rear on the ground wherever they are. Even when he seems to be right in front of me after a recall after he sits he somehow ends up too far away. He is extremely long-legged for a britt and is very long through the loins...
Sorry if all this seems confusing, I'm not all with it today and trying to concentrate while your little cousins dart in and out of the room demanding different things is...difficult
Thank you for any advice, greatly appreciated!!
Here's what happens; I call him to me, he comes happily trotting up to me and sits...about two feet away. (another problem is that when my hands are at my sides he wants to automatically finish, but that is where your hands are supposed to be at the trial during a recall I do believe) So I try to coax him closer to me but he either gets confused and plops on the ground or tries to do a finish. (He's trained to do a flip finish.)
I have not been able to figure out how to get him to sit right in front of me. To coax him near me I know I end up bending over at the waist a bit and holding my hands in front of me at waist level with a treat, all things that I can't do in the ring. He has the idea he just won't sit close enough.
I use a clicker and a target stick most of the time so I thought maybe I could hold the target stick really close to my waist and he would come touch it and sit. He comes and touches the tip but and sits when I ask but he takes a step back before doing so.
That's another problem we have, I've never had a dog who takes a step backwards before they sit, verses just butting their rear on the ground wherever they are. Even when he seems to be right in front of me after a recall after he sits he somehow ends up too far away. He is extremely long-legged for a britt and is very long through the loins...
Sorry if all this seems confusing, I'm not all with it today and trying to concentrate while your little cousins dart in and out of the room demanding different things is...difficult
Thank you for any advice, greatly appreciated!!