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Heeling Backwards!
One of my very favorite Rally exercises is #49, Back Up 3 Steps – Dog
Stays in Position. The AKC
description of this exercise is “While heeling, the handler reverses
direction walking backward 3 steps, without first halting, then continues
heeling forward. The dog moves
backward with the handler and maintains position throughout the exercise,
without sitting”. It is my favorite as when done to perfection is a very pretty exercise to watch the dog and handler team execute. It is also a very difficult exercise for the team to do. I will share with you my technique for successfully teaching this exercise. The first step is to have your dog on a buckle collar and a short lead of 3-4 feet. Start out by working next to a wall, where the dog is between you and the wall, so the dog can not flare out when heeling backward. Hold your lead in the left hand and behind the dogs head. Take three steps forward and then with light pressure on the lead pull back (with constant pressure) as you say “heel back” to the dog. Have treats in your right hand to feed to the dog as it attempts to heel backwards and reinforce with the treats and praise as you give the command. Once your dog is comfortable with working next to the wall and your pressure of the lead is becoming less needed, you are ready to work on lead away from the wall. I start this by just increasing my distance from the wall with the dog first, gradually working up to being in the open training area. I continue to have my hand behind the dog’s head though, as this will eventually be my off-lead cue to the dog that they are heeling backward. Continue to praise for the backward motion of the dog while saying heel back, and remember to take slow steps back when you are moving backward. The final step to this is when your dog shows you that it is comfortable doing this exercise on-lead and in an open training area, you then move to off lead and the hand cue. Keep the 3 steps forward and three steps backward with lots of praise going backward. One of the problems most rally exhibitors have once they have mastered this exercise is to take the proper number of steps back. If you use the words I have suggested, “heel back, heel back, heel back” , it is easy for the handler to count. Remember as you take your third step back to rock into a forward motion right away. Also, if you get your dog comfortable and move away from the wall slowly, the flaring out by the dog that is commonly seen will not occur. If you are getting the flaring out, move back to the wall until your dog gets it. This exercise is a great one to jazz up a dog who might start shutting down as you are waiting to go into the obedience ring as well. How many times have you had to sit and wait by the ring to be called in, and your dog starts to melt down? Dog’s love this exercise and it is a great way to keep them active and fun in a small amount of space! |
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