Walking Backwards with a Little Bit of Help Video
Uses - dog can now walk backwards to get out of your way, doggy
dancing movement, can lead to more advanced doggy dancing moves
Equipment - chairs, or hallway, treats, and or clicker
Methods - Food only method
1. Start with your dog and you standing and facing each other. Dog is off lead and in a hallway. Or you can set up some chairs to make a narrow chute. We want the dog to learn to walk backwards in a straight line.
2. Take a small step towards your dog and he should move backwards, if not take another little step. Don't say anything. give him a reward, give the reward low enough so he does not confuse it with a sit signal but not too low that he thinks he has to drop.
3. I then take a step backwards myself so that the dog comes forwards and we set up to do another trial.
4. Do this about 10 times, then add the word "back" and start saying "Back" before you move toward the dog. Once the dog has the idea he should start moving back, before you move toward him. I also introduce a hand signal, which is both of my hand at my sides, at waist height moving together with my palms facing outwards.
5. Now gradually increase the number of steps that the dog takes backwards before rewarding him. If the dog starts to go crooked, you have pushed him too far and need to back up a step. It takes a while for the dog to get co-ordinated. I used the two lines of chairs forming a chute for quite a while.
Once the dog has moved backwards a couple of steps you always then move backwards yourself, to set up another trial, as the dog gets the idea move backwards more yourself.
Clicker Method -
Same method as above, except as the dog moves backwards you click and treat.
Toy motivated dogs -
You teach the beginning steps using food, then start to use toys instead, when the dog moves backwards, he is rewarded with a game of catch using a toy, but you still have the chute set up.
Advanced -
You can add in a spin, then back, or a catch then back for another catch.
I have also taught my dog to do a stand, I then move behind him and say back, and he walks backwards through my legs. But this is very advanced and the dog must know the back command with you at his side, with you in front of him, and you behind him first. You then have the dog a few more paces in front of you before you say back and increase the distance. You also need to teach the dog to move forwards through your legs first so he is comfortable with going through your legs.
Equipment - chairs, or hallway, treats, and or clicker
Methods - Food only method
1. Start with your dog and you standing and facing each other. Dog is off lead and in a hallway. Or you can set up some chairs to make a narrow chute. We want the dog to learn to walk backwards in a straight line.
2. Take a small step towards your dog and he should move backwards, if not take another little step. Don't say anything. give him a reward, give the reward low enough so he does not confuse it with a sit signal but not too low that he thinks he has to drop.
3. I then take a step backwards myself so that the dog comes forwards and we set up to do another trial.
4. Do this about 10 times, then add the word "back" and start saying "Back" before you move toward the dog. Once the dog has the idea he should start moving back, before you move toward him. I also introduce a hand signal, which is both of my hand at my sides, at waist height moving together with my palms facing outwards.
5. Now gradually increase the number of steps that the dog takes backwards before rewarding him. If the dog starts to go crooked, you have pushed him too far and need to back up a step. It takes a while for the dog to get co-ordinated. I used the two lines of chairs forming a chute for quite a while.
Once the dog has moved backwards a couple of steps you always then move backwards yourself, to set up another trial, as the dog gets the idea move backwards more yourself.
Clicker Method -
Same method as above, except as the dog moves backwards you click and treat.
Toy motivated dogs -
You teach the beginning steps using food, then start to use toys instead, when the dog moves backwards, he is rewarded with a game of catch using a toy, but you still have the chute set up.
Advanced -
You can add in a spin, then back, or a catch then back for another catch.
I have also taught my dog to do a stand, I then move behind him and say back, and he walks backwards through my legs. But this is very advanced and the dog must know the back command with you at his side, with you in front of him, and you behind him first. You then have the dog a few more paces in front of you before you say back and increase the distance. You also need to teach the dog to move forwards through your legs first so he is comfortable with going through your legs.
