Rearend Awareness Training

[Tassie]

huski I ran into problems were I didn't need a cue because that was what she offered me on all random objects.

4 feet on the kitchen table doesn't count.

Seriously - I have shaped it and all 3 have massive value on their pivot boxes. Even the unfinished ones in the garage.

Be careful, AD - the 4 feet on the kitchen table/bench is a Winpara specialty. :D

P.S. and OT - did you tell Wikki her big sister Phoebe has just got her show Ch too to catch up with big brother Rory. Clever Portia/Tag kids :D

[OSoSwift]

I have created a rear end awareness monster

When I show him and try and stand in front of him - he takes this as a cue to swing his bum end around into heel position so we spend the entire time in the ring swinging in circles - I step in front and he swings his back end around. I step in front and.....

But his left about turns are BEAUTIFUL

Ah yes I know that feeling myself!

Standing lovely in front, zoom goes the back end. Oh well I'd prefer that I think.

My Dobe got third in her class at the Nationals even when she did bum swing circles. Maybe thay gave her extra points for being clever :D

[Tassie]

Well if they didn't, they should have done OSoSwift

[kelpiechick]

I'll try moving them up to the side step tomorrow to see how they go... It seems quite tricky which is probably why I've never attempted it before

Shouldn't have any trouble with a kelpie. Step back so you are opposite and give a bit of space, then just start side stepping slowly. For a dog with good working ability the natural thing will be to start moving too to stay balanced with you - same way that they balance off stock. Worked with both of mine, and my BC too. Put some cling wrap over the phone book - if you haven't already- so the front paws don't slide.

Once they get the hang of it, you can make the exercise more difficult by using a jump bump coming out at an angle from the corner of the phone book, they then have to pick up their feet more to step over it.

[sas]

I don't think you're meant to say anything. If you're not free shaping, lure the dog onto it and click.

[koalathebear]

The dogs are both pivoting nicely - we've switched from yellow pages to white pages. They will actually pivot on the spot now without a book but I'm keeping it there until I get a few things ironed out.

They already have a spin command which is where they can of do a little circle.

At present, pivoting clockwise I say "round" and pivoting counter-clockwise I use "turn".

Questions are:

1. Any suggestions for hand signals that aren't confusing? Our two respond well to hand signals

2. I don't have to lure them anymore but to make them pivot, I still have to take a step in the direction I want them to pivot - I've noticed that other people make the dog pivot along with them. Not sure if this makes sense - but right now, if I want them to pivot counter-clockwise, I take a step to the right. Is this wrong? Should I have been luring them to jump to my left side when I step right on the pivot?

[Bundyburger]

Just to jump in here... I have started this too.. last night in fact. One dog will put his feet up happily. The other keeps insisting on sitting with his feet on the phone book.. as soon as he sees a treat he automatically sits down... So how should i fix it? Do i guide him up to a stand and place his feet?

[koalathebear]

Just to jump in here... I have started this too.. last night in fact. One dog will put his feet up happily. The other keeps insisting on sitting with his feet on the phone book.. as soon as he sees a treat he automatically sits down... So how should i fix it? Do i guide him up to a stand and place his feet?

I guided them into a stand a few times and then after that, they didn't get a treat until they were standing. My two occasionally playbow on the book which is funny and Hoover when he's waiting will sometimes sit on the phone book like he's on a pedastal - it's very cute. :D

[sheena]

The dogs are both pivoting nicely - we've switched from yellow pages to white pages. They will actually pivot on the spot now without a book but I'm keeping it there until I get a few things ironed out.

They already have a spin command which is where they can of do a little circle.

At present, pivoting clockwise I say "round" and pivoting counter-clockwise I use "turn".

Questions are:

1. Any suggestions for hand signals that aren't confusing? Our two respond well to hand signals

2. I don't have to lure them anymore but to make them pivot, I still have to take a step in the direction I want them to pivot - I've noticed that other people make the dog pivot along with them. Not sure if this makes sense - but right now, if I want them to pivot counter-clockwise, I take a step to the right. Is this wrong? Should I have been luring them to jump to my left side when I step right on the pivot?

When I was taught this (& it was at a DWD), the dog puts it's front paws on the box & faces you...as you take a step the dog should also line up it's rear end so that it remains opposite you. Bindi can do it really well in one direction but it's a bit harder for her in the other direction, but she is getting there. Mind you, this is with DWD...I know absolutely nothing about competition obedience. :D

[Kavik]

The dogs are both pivoting nicely - we've switched from yellow pages to white pages. They will actually pivot on the spot now without a book but I'm keeping it there until I get a few things ironed out.

They already have a spin command which is where they can of do a little circle.

At present, pivoting clockwise I say "round" and pivoting counter-clockwise I use "turn".

Questions are:

1. Any suggestions for hand signals that aren't confusing? Our two respond well to hand signals

2. I don't have to lure them anymore but to make them pivot, I still have to take a step in the direction I want them to pivot - I've noticed that other people make the dog pivot along with them. Not sure if this makes sense - but right now, if I want them to pivot counter-clockwise, I take a step to the right. Is this wrong? Should I have been luring them to jump to my left side when I step right on the pivot?

When I was taught this (& it was at a DWD), the dog puts it's front paws on the box & faces you...as you take a step the dog should also line up it's rear end so that it remains opposite you. Bindi can do it really well in one direction but it's a bit harder for her in the other direction, but she is getting there. Mind you, this is with DWD...I know absolutely nothing about competition obedience.

This is what I do too :D

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I found a wobble board in the playground at Hawthorn Oval (SA), and you should have seen my dog's feet when I asked her to put them on it. Could only get the front feet today - and they were spread like pancakes for grip. Easy to see why she's such a good swimmer.

She did all four feet on the picnic table no worries.

And then we did a bit of contact targetting on the steps... Worked much better than the ones at home as far as 2on 2 off go. Funny dog. She jumped into the playground on her own and then I made her work.

[koalathebear]

This is what I do too :D

Thanks! The thing was, I thought that one of the useful parts of rearend awareness training was the ability to put the dog into a very nice heel position. My problem is that every time I take a step towards the dogs, they pivot so they are never next to me.

[fuzzy82]

I don't have a cue for it, when I get the box out the dogs know what to do with it (they were shaped to go on it). It's not really a permanent thing, I only use it as a stepping stone for teaching heel and maybe something else in the future, so it doesn't need a cue.

But in general, for getting up on objects or my lap, I use 'up', but that means 'get your whole body up there'

Edited March 4, 2011 by fuzzy82

[fuzzy82]

This is what I do too :D

Thanks! The thing was, I thought that one of the useful parts of rearend awareness training was the ability to put the dog into a very nice heel position. My problem is that every time I take a step towards the dogs, they pivot so they are never next to me.

You can shape the dog to gradually move towards you while you stand still, this is how I have seen it done in training videos. You'd never be able to move towards the dog because it has been taught to move with you. So you'd need to stand still and then continue shaping until the dog is touching you and moving with you while touching you.

[wuffles]

This is what I do too :D

Thanks! The thing was, I thought that one of the useful parts of rearend awareness training was the ability to put the dog into a very nice heel position. My problem is that every time I take a step towards the dogs, they pivot so they are never next to me.

You can shape the dog to gradually move towards you while you stand still, this is how I have seen it done in training videos. You'd never be able to move towards the dog because it has been taught to move with you. So you'd need to stand still and then continue shaping until the dog is touching you and moving with you while touching you.

I don't have a command for either direction as at the moment I really only do the exercise for a nice heel position. So I just use the word "heel" for Ava. KTB, what happens if you get the dogs to stand in heel position with their front feet on the phone book, then take a step away from them around the book? Will they follow you, or go the opposite direction? Maybe try that and lure them to stay in heel position beside you?

[corvus]

I used to move my hand in a little semi-circle stroking motion in the direction I wanted Erik to swing. He's a short dog, so used to swing out a lot when he was heeling so he could look up at me. I started signalling him to come in tighter when he started to swing. I found pretty quickly he didn't need many signals. I was just doing it for fun and abandoned it not long after, but I now in agility I still use it to get Erik to straighten up in front of an obstacle. He's a bit rusty, but still gets the gist.

Incidentally, I've just started Kivi on this exercise using the logs on the ground at the dog park. Kivi doesn't move to keep facing me. I think he feels a bit unsteady. So I taught him to walk sideways with his front feet on the log and back feet off to get him started, then started teaching him to balance on the logs, and with a bit of muscle conditioning he is starting to move around a little more. Funny how some dogs are just naturally quite dexterous and agile whereas others are a bit clumsy. Seeing Kivi try to balance on those logs, it is very hard for him. He is improving every day, but meanwhile, Erik is walking backwards up stairs and balancing in a down on the logs and running along every raised barrier he can fit his feet on. I swear he's part cat he is so agile and balanced.

[Kavik]

This is what I do too

Thanks! The thing was, I thought that one of the useful parts of rearend awareness training was the ability to put the dog into a very nice heel position. My problem is that every time I take a step towards the dogs, they pivot so they are never next to me.

Rearend awareness training is great for teaching them where their rear end is, which is one skill necessary to a nice heel position and especially useful in left about turns. I keep this exercise separate to teaching heel position/left turns/left about turns. (though at the moment my main thing is agility anyway but for my obedience dog I keep them separate, for my agility dog it is just a fun exercise anyway that is useful in teaching them where their feet are for agility in general).

Like corvus I take advantage of logs and tree stumps at parks to practice balance and rear end awareness. Kaos is really good, Diesel not so good

[Tassie]

This is what I do too

Thanks! The thing was, I thought that one of the useful parts of rearend awareness training was the ability to put the dog into a very nice heel position. My problem is that every time I take a step towards the dogs, they pivot so they are never next to me.

That's certainly one of the uses of it. You could try just doing stationary heel position and rewarding that very heavily. Then there's more incentive for the dogs to move to heel.

Don't forget that initially you're just c/t (or mark/reward) any movement of the rear feet - so you're gradually shaping it up.