haylz27 Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) I want to teach my dog to back up or "walk backwards". How do I go about this? I can train her with or without a Clicker. I have tried it by taking a step forward so she moves backwards but she just sits or lays down straight away! How can I teach this without her sitting or laying down? Edited June 21, 2010 by haylz27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 This might help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haylz27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 Andisa, that's the video I actually watched last night. It helps but doesn't explain what to do if she lays down or sits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I have started teaching my guys this. I made a corridor using tables on their side next to a fence. Then put them in the corridor and shaped it with a clicker, so looking for any foot movement backwards at all, maybe just foot movement at all to start with. And then extend this til they are moving backwards. If they lie down or sit I just get their attention and get them to stand up again. Diesel and Zoe still want to offer drop, at the beginning that and nose targetting the tables was all I got Kaos picked it up really fast, the others are now starting to get the idea and take a step backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I did the same as Kavik for Erik. For Kivi I captured it with the clicker. Of course, I didn't practise it much so now both of them have practically forgotten it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 (edited) Ava can walk backwards... in fact now I have a problem with her offering it instead of sitting! Here is a video of us learning: I had heaps of trouble with her sitting every time I so much as looked her way. What worked for me in the end was training on a more "uncomfortable" surface - in our case tiles instead of carpet, and a more confined space. I'm pretty sure she would also walk backwards on wet grass instead of sitting too I had to take it really slowly and click as soon as she moved just a tiny bit. Oh, and if she sat or offered a different behaviour, I generally gave her a NRM then lured her back into a stand. Edited June 21, 2010 by wuffles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I was playing with this in puppy class yesterday -- using a corridor set up with metal play pen panels - just to give people the idea. Basically - what Kavik says. Mark and reward a single lift of a back foot if that's all you can get. Try to place your reward (or lure if you're luring) in such a way as the dog's head is kept more or less level, so that you're encouraging the standing/walking position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primedogs Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 I'm on a laptop and am having problems with the video so not sure what they did, but I taught it roughly the same as kavik, and I'm not sure if my dog was just slow to get it but I found when I started rewarding by chucking the treat behind him he got more enthusastic about it and started walking longer distances backwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Yeah I threw the treats between the dog's front legs so it kept going and it often encouraged them to go backwards to get the treat as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haylz27 Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 Ahh, thanks for the advice everyone! I might try to teach her it in the hallway. Lol, Kavik that's funny how your dog was targeting the tables. I'll try it tomorrow and let you know how we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Heya, We just did this for the Slow Dane Challenge: http://www.dmantugs.com.au/challenge7.htm The instructional video we used has instructions on what to do if they Sat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 The first step I did with Erik was to create a corridor with the end blocked off. I lured him into the blind end and then clicked when he backed out, which he had to do because there wasn't enough room for him to turn around. I did the same sort of thing when I was teaching him to reverse in a circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haylz27 Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 Ohh, awesome video sas! I subscribed to you on Youtube. That sounds like a good idea Corvus! I might try that. We had a breakthrough tonight after dinner! I got Indi to go backwards in the kitchen. It's hard to explain what I did, but I kind of dragged my feet quickly and walked towards her so she didn't have time sit. I'm going to continue this tomorrow but make a corridor so she goes reverses in a straight line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan3 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 It sounds like you've come up with a solution, but I thought I would offer this anyway. The good thing about using a clicker is that you can mark whatever backwards movement you get and shape from there. So a dog who tends to go into a sit is actually a good thing, you just have to click before they get that far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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