Back Leg Weaving

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Guys
Just thought I would ask all you experts out there I want to teach Gabby the different style in going backward weaving and if you can lead me into different youtube that has tutorials on how to do them. Thanks guys
 

fickla

Experienced Member
I don't know of any youtube videos but I might be able to talk you through it.
First some questions: Does Gabby know backward circles? Can she back up? Back up towards you? Pivot on a perch?

I've taught backward weaving 3 ways. I prefer teaching it after the dog already knows how to do a bckward circle in both directions. Weaving backwards just becomes asking for a circle one direction but puting out your leg and interrupting it half way through. Then put out your other leg and ask for the circle in the other direction. Basically it's a half circle right followed by a half circle left. Many dogs I've taught has learned this extremely quickly.

The other way I've taught it was before one of my dogs knew how to do a backwards circle, but he did know how to reverse towards me and was comfortable standing between my legs. What I did with him was change the direction he was backing up. Instead of facing forward with my legs open as he was used to, I put one of my legs behind me and worked on him getting used to backing up (which he already knew how to do towards me) to me side ways. I practiced in both directions. Then since he was stopping when he got between my legs I lured by pushing a treat into him until he was now past my leg an then asked for the other direction.

A third way I've taught using a wall and a dog's prior knowledge of backing up in heel. This time as the dog was backing up next to me (on my left) I swung my leg out behind him and pushed him through with a treat.

here's a video of the 3rd method:

Note method 2 &3 are very similar, but 2 is the dog thinking a bit more, 3 is obvious luring. With both methods it takes the dog longer to learn how to do a TRUE backwards weave where the dog is the one making the transitions from half right circle to half left. In method 3 it starts out as the human doing more of the moving and the dog is doing a straight line backwards.
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Fickla
Yep Gabby does the circle backwards in both direction. she heels backwards and we also go backwards in front of me and turns around and comes back through my leg if you understand that lol. I have also tried sticking my leg out and she just goes straight pass the leg and not between like you said to do . I shall try it again. At the moment I am trying to teach her to poke her tongue out and she is doing that pretty good. I am trying to get her to leave the tongue out now, but everything is done 100 miles an hour.
Thanks for emailing me and helping I shall let you know how it goes
cheers
Danni
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Fickla
we are sort of getting around a half circle lol I have backed myself into a corner what commands do you give? She still tries and do the circle around the outside leg though lo
cheers
Danni
 

fickla

Experienced Member
Hi Fickla
She still tries and do the circle around the outside leg though lo
cheers
Danni
Ha! Maybe if you stood on one foot ;) Seriously, if she's already doing a half circle but just trying to make it a very big one on the outside of both legs then it wouldn't hurt to try holding out your back leg but leaving it in the air so you can then bring it down just as she passes.

If she's doing that reverse back towards you then you should be able to try what I described above as #2. It would just be coming at you from the side and since she's used to going through your legs then the stance would be familiar.

Just more practice and I'm sure the lightbulb will turn on! I use a nonsense word of "noodle" as I ran out of words so just picked a random word. I'm pretty sure my dogs mainly watch my hands. My left hand goes across my body when the dog does the half circle counter clockwise on my left, and then my hand moves to my right hand side and pushes backwards telling the dog to switch directions and curl clockwise from my right.
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Fickla
Well I think the light bulb has clicked we have managed to do the figure 8 backwards well sort of but it is getting there. I do have to find the slow button but I think I have lost it cause going backwards in anything she has to do it 100 miles an hour so trying to say back around and weave and try and get a click in. Well all I can say it's been interesting. I will try and get it videoed and get it on here somehow. My tongue trick is going well as well just trying to get her to keep it out a fraction longer
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Oliver does the backwards figure 8, so I decided to try the backwards leg weave last night... he got it, easy. Was alot of fun to try, Ollie and I had a blast :) but then Ollie's transmission is stuck in reverse... I cant seem to teach him anything in drive LOL.
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Well Fickla We can do the figure 8 backwards now. I have lovely bruises to show for it though OUCH!!! but we are doing it now the next question is how do you do the weaving with it backwards like the way you do the weaving normally going forwards if you understand that one lol but yep we have the figure 8 all sorted now lol
cheers
Danni and the girls
 

fickla

Experienced Member
yay!!! Since you posted this a few days ago I'm sure she's got the backwards weaving by now!!!

After putting a leg back you might have to reward immediately after she goes through since you just want the "switch" to happen soon than with the full fig 8. A figure 8 is one half circle followed by another half circle the other direction, but the weave is only like 1/3 of a circle.
 

xena98

Experienced Member
Hi Fickla
Sorry havent been on here for awhile. we can only do figure 8 backwards the only problem we are still doing it 100 miles an hour sometimes we are too fast and dont swing the bum around it time and sometimes we do it brilliantly. I have found or rather stumbled on a youtube from lolabufan and she was doing it backwards so going to have a bash at that but I am having a little break from that as my legs are going black and blue lol need to recover from that so I can get another lot of bruises lol
Shall let you know how I get on

At the moment we are teaching poke the tongue and lay down on towel and roll over with the towel in her mouth. Dont know what command to use on that one any ideas lol cant interfer with her obedience and agility

cheers
Danni and the girls
 
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