In advanced rally there is an exercise that you have your dog in the heel position and you are walking, you do a slight hesitation and then take three steps backwards. Your dog is supposed to back up the three steps with you.
How Do You Teach "Back-up?"
- Thread starter Lahree
- Start date
In advanced rally there is an exercise that you have your dog in the heel position and you are walking, you do a slight hesitation and then take three steps backwards. Your dog is supposed to back up the three steps with you.
Justicemom
Forums Celebrity
I dislike that sign.
I have never been able to teach it so they do it that well. I taught it using a wall and put the treat just above their nose and pushed it backwards and reward any backwards movements. All my dogs know it in theroy and if near the wall or a ring gate its great. Out in space I get 2 straight back and then 1 were the butt swings out. If I see it in Rally Ex. I know I'm going to take the point hit.
Let me see: Often times Earnhardt is blocking the entrance door from the back yard,and if I want to go in before him,I simply tell him to "back it up". Or if I am going out,and he is already out there..when I open up the door I say..back it up~He's big,and takes up the whole door entrance. I feel its only a part of teaching them manners,as I will not get run over by a stampede of dogs.
I can get him to back it up,and with a hand signal even from a distance.He used to do it often as when he was really young,he was trained with a person that would do field trials,and he needed to understand what was being communicated to him by hand signals.nothing more irritating than to have a handler yelling directions to a dog,as they got close to a decoy.He may be rusty on some signals,but that one he has never forgotten,
Sometimes these guys will follow me into the laundry room,and there is only so much room,especially when all 3 decide to come in and check out the dirty laundry baskets...I just tell them..back it up. It's quite funny really to see all 3 simply put it in reverse.Cause there is no room to actually turn around.
I practice with Trapp & Jasper,using narrow spaces to back it up,it gets them in touch with thier rear ends & legs,making them work in what I feel is not a totally natual movement for any dog.
In probably an agility dog,or one that does freestyle events,it could in my opinion be very useful.Just my two pence~
I dislike that sign.
If I see it in Rally Ex. I know I'm going to take the point hit.
I don't know why she is making us learn that (Ellie and I). We are BEGINNERS. It is only in Rally Ex. Ellie still has problems. She clearly doesn't understand and like I aid, we never are taught HOW to teach things. I have to come here or look it up on YouTube.
Calliesmom
Moderator
here's a great video- lots of rally stuff on this channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1x5IDFjKGs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1x5IDFjKGs
Caro
Moderator
When they are backing up next to you you need to be careful where the treat goes otherwise it skews their rear. Basically the direction their head faces will influence the direction their butt goes. You dont want the dog looking in your direction otherwise their butts tend to swing in for tight dogs and out for loose dogs, and if their head is raised too high their butts skew out or they sit.
I found it easiest to hold a treat in my fist and hold my fist slightly away from my body. Mine tend to skew out so I hold the treat near the ouside of their muzzle, never directly in front. If they are skewing shift where you are holding your treat to change the direction of their head. Lots of bending over - I ended up with a sore back teaching this to little Tully.
When you start its easiest to aim for the dog's shoulders next to your knees, rather than their head or nose then they are less likely to skew or sit. You will find their head ends up next to your knee anyway, esp as they get better at it.
In dancing we learnt 'back' going away from us first so they understood the concept of going backwards before we attempted it in other positions.
I found it easiest to hold a treat in my fist and hold my fist slightly away from my body. Mine tend to skew out so I hold the treat near the ouside of their muzzle, never directly in front. If they are skewing shift where you are holding your treat to change the direction of their head. Lots of bending over - I ended up with a sore back teaching this to little Tully.
When you start its easiest to aim for the dog's shoulders next to your knees, rather than their head or nose then they are less likely to skew or sit. You will find their head ends up next to your knee anyway, esp as they get better at it.
In dancing we learnt 'back' going away from us first so they understood the concept of going backwards before we attempted it in other positions.
Ellis has really progressed in a two days. She now gets what the command means. We practice next to a wall. When we are away from the wall the first two steps are perfect and then she rear swings out slightly. I hold the treat at her chest level so she doesn't have to look up at me (which causes her to sit). I hold onto the treat and release it on the third step back. She is very gentle and doesn't try to bite or pull.
She knows how to back outside of the ring on command (as in get the #ell out of the kitchen), but she needs to put it all together. This is a structured thing, backing up standing at my side which is unnatural for her and with a leash and distractions added. I am confident she will get it.
She knows how to back outside of the ring on command (as in get the #ell out of the kitchen), but she needs to put it all together. This is a structured thing, backing up standing at my side which is unnatural for her and with a leash and distractions added. I am confident she will get it.
Toffee's Mom
Forums Sage
Ellis has really progressed in a two days. She now gets what the command means. We practice next to a wall. When we are away from the wall the first two steps are perfect and then she rear swings out slightly. I hold the treat at her chest level so she doesn't have to look up at me (which causes her to sit). I hold onto the treat and release it on the third step back. She is very gentle and doesn't try to bite or pull.
She knows how to back outside of the ring on command (as in get the #ell out of the kitchen), but she needs to put it all together. This is a structured thing, backing up standing at my side which is unnatural for her and with a leash and distractions added. I am confident she will get it.
Smart girl!
isn't it great? this what I love about training when the light goes on
Smart girl!
isn't it great? this what I love about training when the light goes on
Yes, she has changed so much! She tries really, really hard now and thinks about things. She still gets mildly anxious on long sit or down stays. She is afraid she is not going to get a treat and is worried that she should be doing something besides just waiting. You can actually see the worry on her face.