Training Tips

Here are some suggestions for training basic moves from PnM members.

Taught with a lure:

Twist/Spin at either side of the handler

Aim: to get your dog to spin in an anti-clockwise direction at your left hand side (twist) or in a clockwise direction at your right hand side (spin)

1. Start with the dog in the heel position on your left or right
2. With the treat in the hand which is the same side as the dog, lure the dog’s head away from you and out to behind the hip on that side
3. At the same time step forward with the leg furthest from the dog
4. Continue the luring movement bringing your hand near to your side and forward so that the dog turns full circle and ends up back in the heel position
5. At the same time step forward with the back leg so that you both end up as you began

From Annette Lowe and her Border Collie, Flash

Spin in Front (Clockwise)

1. You will need a treat in your right hand
2. Your dog needs to stand in front of you, facing you
3. With the treat in your right hand, lure your dog in a small clockwise circle until s/he is facing you again
4. Give the treat

Tip: If your dog is having difficulty turning through a complete circle, have 2 treats in your hand. Give one treat when your dog has completed part of the turn, and the second treat when s/he has completed the full turn

Stage 2

Encourage your dog to follow your hand to make the turn but reward with a treat once s/he has completed the turn and is facing you again

Stage 3

Add your chosen ‘cue’ word (e.g. “Spin”) as your dog makes the turn. Remember to give the treat when your dog has completed the turn

Stage 4

Continue to use your ‘cue’ word and start to minimise your hand signals until your dog will turn in a small circle with only a slight hand movement or your ‘cue’ word alone.

From Sue Betteridge and her German Shepherd Dog, Gina
 

Figure of eight round the handler’s legs

1. Start with your dog in front, facing you
2. Holding a treat in both hands, stand with your feet apart
3. Bend your right knee slightly with your weight being over your right side
4. Take your right hand round the back of your right leg, offering the treat to the dog’s nose from behind the gap made by standing astride
5. Encourage your dog through using a command (e.g. through) round your right leg and back to the front to face you
6. Praise and reward with the treat
7. At the same time, bend your left knee slightly with your weight being over your left side
8. Take your left hand round the back of your left leg, again offering the treat to the dog’s nose from behind the gap made by standing astride
9. Encourage your dog through, using a command (e.g. through) round your left leg and back to the front facing you
10. Praise and reward with the treat

From Vicky Brown and her Working Sheep Dog, Heidi

Turning the dog across in front, from the left side to the right side

1. Start with the dog in the left heel position, both of you facing forward
2. With the treat in your right hand offer the treat (across your body) to your dog’s nose.
3. With the treat, lure the dog’s head from your left side across in front of you in a circular movement
4. At the same time…………
5. Step to the right side with your right foot, putting your weight on it and continue to lure the dog across to your right side
6. Still using a circular movement, take your dog out behind your right hip
7. Bring your right hand (and the dog’s nose/head/body) back into your right side
8. Transfer your weight back to your left foot, bringing your right foot into your left foot
9. Your dog finishes in the right heel position, both of you facing forward
10. Reward your dog

From Annie Clayton and her Working Sheep Dog, Brock

Circle round the handler clockwise, starting with dog facing the handler

1. Have small (non-crumbling) titbits in each hand
2. Start with the dog in a front present position
3. Lure your dog with your right hand clockwise round to behind you and reward
4. Now pick up the lure with your left hand behind you and bring the dog round in front of you
5. Reward your dog as it comes across the front of you
6. Repeat from that point adding your new command of ROUND as you do so
7. Repeat without the stop behind and reward

Circle round the handler anti-clockwise, starting with dog facing the handler

1. With your dog in front of you, lure with your left hand around behind and bring round in front with your right hand. Add the command of CIRCLE.

From Sarah Cowan and her Golden Retriever, Dazzle

Another way to achieve the figure of eight round the handler’s legs

1. Stand with your legs apart and with your dog in front of and facing you
2. Show your dog the treat
3. Throw the treat gently between your feet, behind you and to the left
4. As the dog moves to the treat and eats it, lean back slightly to the left and use your left hand to guide your dog round to the front position again
5. Praise and reward
6. Repeat throwing the treat between your feet again but this time aim to the right
   As the dog moves to the treat and eats it, lean back slightly to the right and use your right hand to guide your dog round to the front position again
7. Praise and reward

From Kerry Lancaster and her Beagle, Poppy

Taught with a clicker

Balance- your dog sitting into his haunches with the front paws lifted.
This method is suitable for a larger breed of dog, e.g. gun dogs

1. Start with your dog sitting and you standing behind and astride his back. Click and reward (C&R) for remaining in the sit position
2. Lure the dog’s head up and slightly back with a titbit until his front feet start to lift off the ground. C&R
3. Hold a titbit a little higher so your dog reaches up and lifts his front feet off the ground for a couple of seconds. C&R. (Stand close enough behind so your dog can lean on you to give him confidence).
4. Continue at this stage until your dog’s muscles are strong enough to enable him to balance for a few seconds without leaning on you.
5. Introduce your cue word, e.g. balance, before you lure him to lift his head
6. Move to the side of your dog and repeat the earlier stages
7. When perfect, move to the front. Cue and lure your dog into the balance position with your hand. C&R each stage of teaching.
8. Some long backed breeds of dogs should not be taught this move, e.g. Basset Hounds, Dachsunds, etc.

From Lesley Brocklehurst and her Flat Coat Retriever, Jester

The weave under the handler’s legs

1. Click-reward for moving forward to touch a finger
2. Click-reward for following a finger
3. Click-reward for following a finger through a turn. First the left side, then the right side, then in front. Throw in a softly spoken verbal cue, e.g. left or right
4. At an early stage alternate between targeting a finger and targeting a stick. Use the above method to encourage the dog to follow a finger through the legs. First through the leg to the left side, then later to the right side.
5. At this early stage remain static. Leave the walking weave until later. As Newfoundlands are giant dogs, two problems might be encountered.
6. Your legs are not long enough. Don’t give up. Stand up straight and compromise by lifting one leg up. With a sufficient lure the dog will soon make the effort to pass through, even lowering itself to pass under
7. A dog that is nearly four feet long may take some time to pass through. This could look ungainly if you try to walk forward at anything like a normal pace. So compromise and move a little to the side.

From David Lamb and his Newfoundland, Holly

The Bow — using a target stick

1. Teach your dog to touch the end of a Target Stick with his nose by scenting the end with food. C&R every time your dog’s nose touches the end of the stick
2. With your dog standing, place the end of the TS in front of his nose and move it down between his front legs
3. Your dog will lower his head to touch the end of the stick and his shoulders will dip too. C&R the small bending movement. Repeat many times.
4. Take the TS right to the floor between your dog’s feet. As he bends down to touch it, C&R the instant his elbows reach the floor and before he drops into the down. You may need to practise for weeks
5. When your dog is proficient at his, introduce your verbal cue “Bow” before you put the end of the TS between your dog’s front feet.
6. When he responds to the verbal cue, remove the TS

From Lesley Brocklehurst and her Flat Coat Retriever, Jester

Roll over, always from the down position

The conformation of some breeds makes them unsuitable for this move, e.g. Whippets, Greyhounds, etc.

1. Always ensure your dog is in the down position before asking for this move
2. With a target stick, move your dog’s nose in a small circular movement towards the dog’s right shoulder — your dog will shift his weight onto the left hip. C&R. Repeat as necessary
3. Move the TS (and the dog’s nose) nearer the dog’s right shoulder. Your dog will shift his weight again and will now be lying flat on his left side with his head raised and turned. C&R this success. Repeat as necessary.
4. Move the TS (and the dog’s nose) from the right shoulder area, in a continuous arc movement, over the dog to the other side of the dog. The dog will move onto his back and over onto his right side. C&R.
5. For the dog’s safety, even when this move has been perfected, always start this movement in the DOWN position.

From Annie Clayton and her Working Sheep Dog, Brock

Pivot in the left heel position

1. Start with the dog standing in the left heel position, both of you facing forward.
2. With the clicker and treat in your right hand, hold it in front and about 2 feet higher than his head in order to attract his attention
3. Either place your left hand on your left side in its normal cue position for left hand heelwork, or gently hold his collar to maintain the ‘head adjacent to your leg’ position
4. With your weight on your left leg, swivel your body through about 10 degrees anti-clockwise at the same time giving your left heel verbal cue
5. Click and reward for any sideways movement of the dog’s back feet
6. You may initially need to swivel through about 45 degrees in order to stimulate him to move. Once he starts to understand the action, you should reduce your rotation and start to gradually build it up using the clicker to mark the correct position each time.
7. If he has difficulty bringing his rear end into position parallel to your body then you could use a barrier, such as a wall, on his outside flank.

From Margaret Booth and her Tervueren, YoYo

Heelwork with the head up trot

1. Teach your dog to touch your hand with his nose
2. With your dog on left side, hold a titbit between the fingers of your left hand, clicker in your right hand
3. C&R the moment his nose touches your hand
4. Teach your dog to follow your hand
5. Move your outstretched hand forward slightly, C&R as your dog follows it
6. Step forward with outstretched arm. As he follows your hand, C&R every time he trots
7. Begin to hold your hand a little higher so your dog stretches up his head to follow. His front legs will begin to lift as he trots
8. Practise on both left and right sides. Extend the distance he trots before the C&R
9. Move in large circles, curves and straight lines as your dog trotsBring your hand in closer to your body so the dog trots nearer your side
10. Introduce your verbal cue, a different one for each side of your body

From Lesley Brocklehurst and her Flat Coat Retriever, Jester