Canine Freestyle: How to Teach Turn & Backing Towards you using backchaining

Made famous by Carolyn Scott & Rookie the Golden Retriever in their 'Grease" routine, this move adds the "WOW!" factor to any freestyle performance. Backchaining is the best way to train it to help your dog succeed doing a complicated behavior like this. (plus in the process you get to train another move-walking backwards between your legs that was also in the routine).
The step by step video assumes your dog knows how to do a spin on verbal or hand cue.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• bc canada
• freestyle moves
• dog training
• clicker
• turn back
• backing up
• dancing with dogs

[ilonawright1]

If the dog is too big to stand comfortably between legs in step 1, can you offer alternative advice? I like this method very much. Thank you

[supernaturalbc2009]

@ilonawright1 How about laying down. Could you train the dog to crawl backwards between your legs? This could be done via luring. Then the dog backs up towards you, drops before he gets between your legs and continues moving backward by crawling. That would be a really cool NEW move! Or you could lift one leg and have the dog back under it, kind of like Honey the Great Dane does when the handler has her 'weave' forward through her legs.

[supernaturalbc2009]

Keep working on backing between your legs until it is easy for he. Try a half step back and do it quickly when she is still in position and she should move back with you. Don't give her time to think about turning back to you.

[murwill1]

love this ithe is the best example of this i have seen. how do you teach a half spin?

[supernaturalbc2009]

@murwill1 An easy way is to lure the half turn with the dog in heel position and you take a step back. Then add the cue, then try it with the dog in front of you. Good luck!

[23Nellie1]

Awesome tutorial!!!! I have a question: When we get to the stage at 1:16, Nellie (my sheltie) turns her head and comes to me instead of backwards. What do we do?

[supernaturalbc2009]

@kikopup That's very thoughtful, but I will be happy with any of your creative ideas as I am sure there will be a new twist on something I never thought of! LOL! I love your approach and always get new ideas from you!

[kikopup]

@supernaturalbc2009 hehe, I wonder if there is anything we can surprise you with! :)

[klwycoff123]

This is great! Another fun trick for us to work on! Great rear end awareness!

[supernaturalbc2009]

@supernaturalbc2009 It would still be neat to learn it in person as they can ask you questions too!