threenorns
Well-Known Member
for the longest time, i was trying to teach dandy to "orbit" (go backwards around me in a circle) to no avail - we would both just end up frustrated and annoyed.
since it was to prepare for backward leg weave, i just figure i was a dead loss at communicating that particular requirement and i modified the trick: he goes backward between my legs, then pops out forward to either side, spins around in front, then backward again.
two days ago, just for grins n giggles, i thought i'd give it a go - and he got it perfectly on the first run! not only that, but we don't have to be in the confined spot for him to do it - he'll do it in a wide open area, too. the only thing to work on is persistence (keep doing it until i say stop - right now, he does it once, then sits and waits for his treat; not a difficult thing to overcome).
so if a trick is going badly - or not going at all - just give it up and move on to something else. i don't know if it gives the dog time to percolate and process or if it gives time for my own frustration to blow off, but something about it works (same thing happened with peekaboo - didn't get it for the longest time, gave it up for a week, and then he got it perfectly after that)
since it was to prepare for backward leg weave, i just figure i was a dead loss at communicating that particular requirement and i modified the trick: he goes backward between my legs, then pops out forward to either side, spins around in front, then backward again.
two days ago, just for grins n giggles, i thought i'd give it a go - and he got it perfectly on the first run! not only that, but we don't have to be in the confined spot for him to do it - he'll do it in a wide open area, too. the only thing to work on is persistence (keep doing it until i say stop - right now, he does it once, then sits and waits for his treat; not a difficult thing to overcome).
so if a trick is going badly - or not going at all - just give it up and move on to something else. i don't know if it gives the dog time to percolate and process or if it gives time for my own frustration to blow off, but something about it works (same thing happened with peekaboo - didn't get it for the longest time, gave it up for a week, and then he got it perfectly after that)