Teaching 'call Front Finish Left'

[The Spotted Devil]

Lisa - make sure your dog TRULY understands what "heel" means. I like to take the static position out of the equation. Throw a treat "get it" in any direction and (provided your dog knows this game) as they come racing back I either throw them another treat to up the excitement and unpredictability OR ask them to flip into heel position.

[LisaCC]

Does anyone have any hints on transitioning from an awesome flip finish while using a perch (upturned bowl or phonebook) to an average one with no perch?

Have you tried transitioning already Lisa? Maybe you could post a video of what it looks like on the perch vs without one.

When the dog is elevated with a perch this can build the incorrect muscle memory as you are adding height to the dog they don't have without the perch. Have you tried using a flat target, like a frisbee or similar? If you do, do you get the same quality flip?

Have tried with a flat target and he still gives me a really great flip.

I'm out of memory at the moment, hard drive back at the old place, might be able to get a video next week.

Lisa - make sure your dog TRULY understands what "heel" means. I like to take the static position out of the equation. Throw a treat "get it" in any direction and (provided your dog knows this game) as they come racing back I either throw them another treat to up the excitement and unpredictability OR ask them to flip into heel position.

I do a lot of these games with him already and he can find heel position quite well from any direction, I got some great new games like this from a recent heeling work workshop with Sam Fields and he loves them.

It seems to be the motion of the flip itself which seems fail when the target goes away.

He will race to heel from anywhere during games or recalls (if I ask to recall to heel) or do that round the back finish from any positions or directions, or food throws without targets? So I'm pretty certain he understands "heel".

Edited July 16, 2015 by LisaCC

[huski]

When he is on the target and in the front position, and you say heel, are you giving a hand signal or using a lure? or if you give the voice command, will he do an awesome flip still?

If you have a look at the vid I have posted of Blaze above, I am using a lure to train the motion of the flip, I train this in the box then test it out of the box when she is completing the flip nicely. Are you doing anything differently in your signals away from the target?

[LisaCC]

I use a hand signal with or without a voice command with the target. I'll do the same movement (with or without command) without the target and he just looks really sloppy.

I have tried the luring method, as my trainer at my club got me too try that and I didn't see any improvement with him. Since I tried free shaping it, he's come in leaps and bounds, but I'm just stuck now

[The Spotted Devil]

Can you video? Often there's something going on that you can't "see" when you're training.

Edited July 16, 2015 by The Spotted Devil

[huski]

Yes I agree TSD, I am sure a vid will make it clearer :)

What sort of markers do you use to mark the correct movement/ position? it may also be a communication/timing problem.

Edited July 16, 2015 by huski

[LisaCC]

I'll try and get a video next week when I fetch my hard drive (I'm in the middle of moving house)

I mark with a clicker or a verbal "yes".

[dididog]

Thanks for checking in and for the video Huski! I've actually been spending a bit more time on our recall and just changing her mindset from working because she sees a reward to working because she knows I will reward her (I guess trying to get her to work 'in drive' to the best of my very ameture understanding). Because even if I taught her all the Rally exercises, if she won't work well without a visible reward then we won't be able to trial!

I have done a bit of work on it though and have integrated a hand lure similar to yours while using a flat target. She knows to rotate her bum end back to heel, just a matter of practicing to get it to a tight flip as she doesn't have the coordination yet - and there's a lot of booty she needs to whip around! I might try and film something in the next few days if it stops raining but I think in a week or two we will be able to get rid of the target. Our call front finish right is so tight now, she slithers behind my legs like a lil snake!

Edited July 16, 2015 by Terri S.

[LisaCC]

Sorry I didn't get a video up!

But I have to update now, I stopped training the finish left for a while and decided to work more on rear end awareness. He was already good on pivoting, but we started on walking backwards and backing up steps and various objects.

Well low and behold I now have that perfect flip finish!!

I also have some lovely backwards heeling now, so we could enter some Rally O

[huski]

Sorry I didn't get a video up!

But I have to update now, I stopped training the finish left for a while and decided to work more on rear end awareness. He was already good on pivoting, but we started on walking backwards and backing up steps and various objects.

Well low and behold I now have that perfect flip finish!!

I also have some lovely backwards heeling now, so we could enter some Rally O

That is awesome!! I have been working on both finishes lately with Daisy as I have decided to pop her into Rally too, so I can work on my handling before entering the Mals.

I have an updated video of Blaze's front and flip finish for anyone who is interested in progression from the earlier vid I posted.

Edited September 22, 2015 by huski