PART 2B - Rear End Awareness

Objective

Ability to assume the 2O2O position on raised articles on command

How?

By shaping the ‘Perch’ routine in order to be comfortable moving left and right. This routine basically involves the dog keeping front legs on a defined platform then being able to swing back legs round (L & R), without moving from platform (the Perch).

Total Time

2 months

Stages

Introducing the equipment

I used a wooden square about the size of a phone book. The initial training started by shaping simple interaction, the criteria was raised to placing a front paw, then 2 front paws onto the square. This took some 2 weeks and was clicker trained. This exercise also lays the ground for future 2O2O position training.

Building the desired behaviour

Now we have 2 front feet on, we want to introduce some rear end movement (without taking front paws off the perch).

With the dog perched on the square, we take a small movement with left leg towards dog. Their natural reaction (responding to pressure) is to move their rear end to their left. Shaping this behaviour so there is a definite shuffle (to their left, front paws in position).

Now we fade the leg movement, substituting for a slight movement of (left) shoulder. The (leg) fading and shoulder movement should be blended so that there is a gradual change (from one of these visual cues to other) over a period of a few weeks.

Once one side is accomplished we repeat with the other side.

Independent rear end movement

So now we have a dog who is able to keep front paws in a designated area and able to move rear end in response to negative (pushing) and positive (pulling) shoulder pressure.

We finalise this into rear end (independent) movement by building into a 180º movement from our left to right (and vice versa). Personally I use a ‘back’ command, which means swing to heel on my left hand size, and ‘side’, which means swing to heel on right hand size.

Practicing and perfecting these exercises helps in the next stage (developing the 2O2O) by:  

·         Introducing shaped behaviour to balance legs on a raised object

·         Awareness of its rear end

·         Developing its hip flexor and core strength muscles.