trick training question.

[SS Cressa]

OK so I would like to teach Cressa how sit behind me with her back against the back of my legs. Question is how do I teach her it. t sound like a silly question but she is an agility dog and has obedience training. Meaning I drop my shoulders and she comes to heel on the side my shoulder is dropped. That and "working" behind me has never been allowed.

so question. Is asking her to get in position facing the opposite direction behind fair to ask? If yes any ideas?

 

The idea is to eventually make it into a series or routine for enjoyment. Would like to the trick to lead up to a dual. Starting with us with back to each other. 3 paces(sending her to a target). Turning back. Then the shoot off. She already knows "bang" means pick up a paw. And "bang bang" she fall over dead or in her case she carefully lays down to die and (is she "dead" )means hold still and waits to be release from death.

[TEC]

OK so I would like to teach Cressa how sit behind me with her back against the back of my legs. Question is how do I teach her it...

 

Would think a trick like that is well suited to clicker training. Reward for any behavior that begins to resemble circling behind you, and then up the standard so that rewards are for facing away when behind you, eventually phasing-in the sit portion of trick. As you may know, rewards at the beginning of clicker training are for tiny behaviors, like a turn of head behind you, or a step in correct direction. Much of marker/clicker training involves carefully/patiently observing, and waiting for the smallest thing that looks like desired final behavior.

 

I don't have the patience for pure clicker training. Attended numerous clicker classes, and was impressed with the technique. Many good trainers have complete faith in it. When an animal figures-out for itself what is wanted, the behavior is well-learned and long-lasting. Border Collies are so biddable anyway, and if you provide food treats/praise as rewards, they often learn amazingly quickly without a marker, such as a clicking device.

 

I find a practical combination of marker and traditional shaping techniques speeds-up the process, and gets good results.

 

Best wishes with dueling trick. Sounds fun for everybody, including audience. You already have much of it trained. Post training updates and methods used. Am interested to read suggestions of others. -- Kind regards, TEC

[gcv-border]

That sounds like a really neat trick. I agree with clicker training for this trick, but I am no expert in clicker techniques (other than the generalizations) so can't help you there. I do use clicker training but only on an elementary level. I confess that I am also a little to impatient for true clicker training on the more complex behaviors and sometimes resort to luring.

 

My dog also 'dies' when I say 'Bang' and point my finger, but his eyes are still open and moving around.

 

Jovi

[waffles]

Does she know a place command?

 

My first thought was to have her mat/bed whatever you use for place at home, on the floor. You stand with your back to it and have her go to place. Then you could lure her to turn or ask her to (does she know turn? when I taught a 'go to heel' position we did pivoting/turning first). Then you can eventually faze out the place mat and give the trick a name. In my head it makes sense so it might to your dog.

 

Otherwise you could just lure her with a treat and gradually increase your expectations. Treat for just standing behind you, turning, sitting, and eventually clean it up to be what you want.

[terrecar]

Does she know a place command?

 

My first thought was to have her mat/bed whatever you use for place at home, on the floor. You stand with your back to it and have her go to place. Then you could lure her to turn or ask her to (does she know turn? when I taught a 'go to heel' position we did pivoting/turning first). Then you can eventually faze out the place mat and give the trick a name.

 

I think this is a well thought out plan. I'll swipe it myself to try with Hannah!

[Root Beer]

OK so I would like to teach Cressa how sit behind me with her back against the back of my legs. Question is how do I teach her it.

 

Do you want her to move into this position on her own, or would it work for you to have her sit, you move behind her, and then have her sit up to put her back against your legs?

 

If it would work for you to do that, this can be very easy.

 

I would put the dog in a sit and move around behind the dog facing the dog's back. From there I would lure the "sit pretty" position, bringing the dog to lean on my legs. I would work that until the dog could do it on open hand signal, and then on verbal alone. I might use something like "lean" as the cue.

 

Once the dog could do that, I would start to alter my position. At first stand with the side of my legs to the dog, cue the "lean" (or whatever), reward when the dog sits up to place his or her back against my leg. And once that were solid, and the dog could hold the position for the desired duration, I would gradually turn to have my back to the dog.

 

If you want the dog to actually move into position behind you, turn away, sit, and sit up with back against your legs, there is a lot more work to do. I would probably use a platform to teach the dog to get into the follow position, and I would also teach a half turn to fluency so the dog could turn away from you once in follow.

 

I would teach the three elements - get into follow, half turn away, sit/sit pretty with back against my legs - separately, and gradually put them together.

 

But if you can move into position to set this up, it's a much simpler process.

 

Is asking her to get in position facing the opposite direction behind fair to ask? If yes any ideas?

 

Sure, it's fair, as long as you break the training down into understandable pieces.

 

The idea is to eventually make it into a series or routine for enjoyment. Would like to the trick to lead up to a dual. Starting with us with back to each other. 3 paces(sending her to a target). Turning back. Then the shoot off. She already knows "bang" means pick up a paw. And "bang bang" she fall over dead or in her case she carefully lays down to die and (is she "dead" )means hold still and waits to be release from death.

 

Sounds like fun.

[D'Elle]

It would be a great move, and I like your idea. I second the use of a platform for teaching this move. That will ensure that the dog is lined up correctly behind you when she does the sit up. If she is crooked, it won't look good. The platform would keep her in the correct position behind you. I would start with teaching her to come to the platform behind you (after teaching her the basics of getting on the platform in the first place), facing away from you. Then add the sit, then later add the sit up.

best of luck with it!