Back foot targeting (video)

[HAH]

For our pre-agility classes we’ve been working on back foot targeting so that theoretically when the dog is coming down a ramp on the dog walk or seesaw, they can stop at the bottom with front feet on the ground and back feet contacting the ‘element’ to get full marks. This is not really my bag, but more generally I think it’s good for body awareness and balance.

I’ve done small amounts of this with Kipper in the house but not in the garden, and I’ve recently tried to move on to using balance pods (because I have them!) but realised today I’m going far too quickly. My mechanics are also unclear, so I’m going back to basic marking when Kipper touches the mat (tea towel) with his back feet and trying to keep my moves simple and quiet. You’ll see I still need to improve my reward delivery, but any other observations are welcome!
Back foot targeting

 

[SteffiS]

Many moons ago (Feb 2018?) @snowbunny set a challenge with the balance pods, Ripple very quickly cottoned on to front feet on the pods but I couldn’t get anywhere with back feet. We usually practice about once a week and finally, this week, Ripple has conquered one back foot on a pod, maybe in another years time he will get the other foot as well .

Well done @HAH you look as if you are getting there quite quickly (apart from trying to eat the tea towel of course ).

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I'm impressed! I'm pretty sure that Carbon still doesn't know he's got back feet. We'll leave that to the experts.

I have to admit, my favourite part is where he steals the towel at the end.

 

[HAH]

I'm impressed! I'm pretty sure that Carbon still doesn't know he's got back feet. We'll leave that to the experts.

I have to admit, my favourite part is where he steals the towel at the end.

Me too! Makes me laugh every time

 

[HAH]

Many moons ago (Feb 2018?) @snowbunny set a challenge with the balance pods, Ripple very quickly cottoned on to front feet on the pods but I couldn’t get anywhere with back feet. We usually practice about once a week and finally, this week, Ripple has conquered one back foot on a pod, maybe in another years time he will get the other foot as well .

Well done @HAH you look as if you are getting there quite quickly (apart from trying to eat the tea towel of course ).

That’s really encouraging - I’m only 2 yrs behind you! He’ll probably have got bored of the tea towel by then

 

[HAH]

For training homework we need to practice “back paws on target and staying in place while handler sprints away”. Apart from the hilarious use of ‘sprint’ , we gave this a go this morning - filmed from a Kipper front feet perspective!

 

[snowbunny]

Haha, only just seen these videos. I love how Kipper nicks the towel, that’s such a Squidge move
I also had to smile at the little bob you gave after clicking quite a few times, like an old fashioned policeman

 

[HAH]

Haha, only just seen these videos. I love how Kipper nicks the towel, that’s such a Squidge move
I also had to smile at the little bob you gave after clicking quite a few times, like an old fashioned policeman

Ha, I didn’t realise I was doing the bob til I watched this! Definitely a bit like a Bobby

 

[Emily]

Haha I love the bob

This is really good, especially with something so flat like a tea towel. Ella knows that she has a back end in the sense that she knows how to move it separately from the front but I'm not sure that she knows how to target with her back paws. Adding that to the never ending list

 

[Leanne]

Here is our abysmal attempt (it’s harder than it looks!)

excuse the dog diving between my legs at every opportunity and then DH popping in to ask if it’s ok if he dips a biscuit in my coffee

 

[HAH]

Here is our abysmal attempt (it’s harder than it looks!)

excuse the dog diving between my legs at every opportunity and then DH popping in to ask if it’s ok if he dips a biscuit in my coffee

That’s not abysmal at all @Leanne ! Excellent work, and I love his enthusiasm with middle Also love your very elegant ballet toes in stepping over him the 2nd time maybe keep it a bit shorter? He starts lying down towards the end, I wonder if it’s fatigue

 

[Leanne]

That’s a fair point @HAH it seemed to wipe it out much more than other activities we train

 

[snowbunny]

Looks great Leanne, and Mas is looking really muscular, I love that! My biggest suggestion would be that, when he loses his groove, rather than standing and waiting, just (without clicking) use a treat to move him back into a position where he’s likely to make the correct movement again.
You can see he gets a bit confused and frustrated, throws some behaviours at you and gives a frustrated gruff. You don’t want any of that baggage, so as soon as you go beyond a count of four after he finishes the last reinforcer and he hasn’t given you the behaviour you’re after, reset and try again.

 

[Leanne]

Ah that’s great advice thank you as I didn’t really know what to do when he stopped hitting the target as it felt like shaping it would be taking a step back!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

excuse the dog diving between my legs at every opportunity

Excellent canine freestyle (aka doggie dancing) moves at the beginning!