How To Teach This?

[southerngirl]

I'm teaching Missy how to "back up" while I'm backing up. Since she already knew "back up" I figured it would be simple, but it's not. Missy is getting confused to why the heck I'm backing up to so she stands their or does a bow. How can I teach her to "back up" while I'm backing up. Please Help.

 

[Anneke]

Maybe you are making the steps to big(I don't mean your paces)
What I mean is: when you taught her to back up, you probably stood still, or you moved towards her.
And now you are backing away from her. That is confusing.
What I would do is:
Give back up cue-as soon as she backs up, I take a tiny step back. Reward even if she only moves one or two steps. I'd repeat that untill she moves back like she did when I stand still.
Then I would start making my step larger, untill it is a normal step and so on.

Another thing you could do, is to teach her to back up to a target.
That should make it easier for her to back up, while you move away.
But if you haven't trained back up to a target, then you would have to re-teach the trick.
I have been thinking about this too, as I am not using a target. But I am not very good at fading the target, so I am still thinking about this

 

[southerngirl]

Thank you so Much Anneke. That makes so much sense and makes it a lot easier for her.

 

[Tâmara Vaz]

I couldn't teach it, too.And I also don't use target. I'll use this tip soon...

 

[Dogster]

You can have her back up with you while she's in between your legs. Then you can slowly move away from her.

 

[SD&B]

Try Anneke's technique, but for the first step, try just leaning back. (Really tiny baby steps, lol.) If you haven't already, make sure she can back up while you're standing still.

Another method I've seen is to use two long barriers, such as two long pieces of plastic lattice, that come together to a point at one end, like a funnel. (Or one barrier along a wall coming to a point like a funnel.) Take Missy down to the point and then call her. She will have to back up in order to get out to come to you. You can do whatever at that moment. It helps her learn a pattern. Of course, then you have to fade the training aid.

 

[fickla]

Another tip- If you want to lure it, then stand against a wall and take a step or two forward and then very quickly bring a treat to her chest as you quickly shuffle back one step. Going forward first catches the dog off guard so they don't have time to think and sit while you lure them.

Non luring- Honestly if you have done perch work with your dog to teach it how to heel and have successfully faded the perch, then your dog should be able to heel in any direction. I move from left pivots- to side steps- to backward steps.

 

[fickla]

Ah, just re-read and you you're not trying to teach backing up while heeling, but instead backing away from you while you face her and back up?

I agree that having a target for her to back up to will help a lot. I have taught my dogs to back up to a box to put their back feet on since having a ending point gets rid of the confusion of how many steps you want.

 

[southerngirl]

I'm trying to teach her to back up while I'm facing her and I'm backing up when she is. She aready knows to back up while I'm standing still. She is starting to get it now that I'm taking a baby step after she backs up than click

 

[madeleine]

how is the backing up ging?

 

[southerngirl]

It's going good I can take two regular steps, still working on getting more.

 

[sara]

I haven't taught this one either. I think I might just do, though it wont be tough for Ollie as I've already taught him to back up to a box.