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Shaping A Dog To Walk Backwards


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Sounds like a training journal might be helpful and keep your training goals on track.

You shouldn't need to keep stopping to patch something if you train it properly the first time :love:

No, which is why I'm going back to foundation stuff! I keep stopping to fix specific hiccups that I think mostly stem from the same broad underlying problems. I'd rather fix the problems than treat the symptoms each time one pops up from here until eternity.

A training journal may well help! I am writing up a training plan. The key I think is small goals within small timeframes. And making it fun. :laugh:

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Yep, have small goals that get you where you want to be, stick to it, write when you were too slack to train or stick to the plan on the days you do it....this should be easy for you to do, as you love books. :love:

Get busy training. :o

Giving yourself a time frame and date to have something on cue really challenges your skills and desire to acheive a result.

All training is fun, how can it be anything but fun. :laugh:

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Thats great LP :love:

Just touching on something Helen said- how many of you do use a 'good dog' as a keep going type encouragement during shaping and do you use a no reward mark?

I have been doing a tricks class this year, and learnt this recently, it is the first time I have done a keep going signal, I dont use reward markers.

Once he stopped after his normal few steps back I just said good boy once, maybe twice to start with (with happy voice) and added some body signals to encourage him to keep moving back. He didn't understand to keep going the first few times but got the idea quickly. It probably helped that he could walk backwards with me walking with him, but I used the keep going signal when I wanted tp teach him to walk backwards on his own with me standing still.

I don't you and no reward mark, never have

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I have been doing a tricks class this year, and learnt this recently, it is the first time I have done a keep going signal, I dont use reward markers.

:love: How can you not use ANY reward marker? Or did you mean that you don't use a NRM?!

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*update*

Well after about a week of letting them stew over it (read: bad trainer had no time to train) I have tried again with a session last night.

Kinta - little smart @rse is now backing back about 1/2 way across the room VERY energetically :cheer:

Leo - a little more hesitant, but with a bit of encouragement is now backing back just short of 1/2 way across the room

Tahli - still learning - she wasnt' feeling well yesterday and has less shaping experience. She is now taking between 4 -6 paces back now :eek:

YAY!

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I'm still wondering why you would have to say "back, back, back, back"? Do you say "heel, heel, heel, heel" or "fetch, fetch, fetch, fetch"? :)

I freeshaped for months without using any other "objects" so all my dogs freeshape using their bodies alot, mine have more problems using an object than learning how to flick their ear, scrape the ground or turn their head from side to side!

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The one thing I tend to remind myself when things aren't moving so quickly is

Click for action, reward for position

Mrs D: I'm guessing the "back, back, back" was needed because the larger backwards movement wasn't trained ie back only got 2-3 steps, which would be why retraining through shaping is being used (plus as a challenge to improve on difficult areas)

This conversation has me really interested in trying out some specific TTouch techniques to increase body awareness in combination with shaping to see if the process speeds up.

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