Sneak Peek

A positive training test run: Rear end awareness

From Positive Herding 101

Let’s start our training with a test run by teaching a skill using positive reinforcement. Teaching rear end awareness is not mandatory but helps your dog to build rear end strength and proprioception which can help to keep your dog injury-free. Proprioception is the knowledge of where an animal’s limbs are in space. In other words, a dog with rear-end awareness not only knows where their rear feet are but realizes they have rear feet!

Training rear end awareness gives you an easy, fun introduction to shaping a behavior that is not crucial to herding. If you are unfamiliar with positive training you can use this training to gauge how skilled you and your dog are at using positive methods. If you or your dog struggles with this exercise I suggest you work building your positive training skills by working on exercises from a book listed in the Suggested Reading or take an introductory class on positive training. There are also many on-line positive reinforcement classes currently offered.

Teaching rear end awareness can be started early in your puppy’s life or at any time later. It is really fun to see your dog realize they have back legs!

By having Sir get on the bowl perpendicular to me he naturally pivots his feet around in order to orient towards me. This gives him the idea of what I am looking for (rear-foot movement) and gives me the opportunity to mark his foot as he pivots.                                                                       

To teach rear end awareness you can use a low, wide bowl turned upside down and shape your dog to stand with their front feet on the bowl. I would use high-value food as the reinforcer for this exercise. Start with marking and then reinforcing your dog for looking at the bowl, then moving towards it, placing one front foot on it, and then standing with both front feet on the bowl. Feed your reinforcers near the bowl and then directly to your dog as they stand on the bowl.

Once your dog has their front feet on the bowl lure (3 times or less) with a treat placed to the side of their head such that they pivot their rear feet to get the treat while keeping their front feet on the bowl. Mark any movement of rear feet and grow that movement until they can pivot 360 degrees around in both directions with their back feet while their front feet remain on the bowl.

Once your dog is giving you some rear foot movement you can stand up and use the placement of your body to encourage pivoting.Be sure to fade your body movement (begin to stand still) or your dog will become dependent on your change of position to initiate movement of their rear feet.

Rear-end awareness is important for herding dogs because they often are moving quickly and turning sharply over rough or irregular terrain.

Please note: the pictures in the book are in black and white, not color.

If you train the pivot, post video of your training in my FB group: Positive Herding Dog. If you are not a member of my private group, just ask to join and answer a few questions so I can get to know a bit about you and your dog(s). You may also ask questions about this training in that group.

If you found this blog helpful, please tell your friends and spread the herd!

Barb

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