We teach the dog the “Somersault” trick
Learning the “Turl” exercise is in many ways similar to learning the “Die”
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If your pet already knows how to lie down on its side or back on command, then it will quickly cope with this exercise. If not, then don’t be upset - we’ll tell you how to teach your dog the “Turl” command
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Give your dog the “Down” or simply wait until he lies down on the floor.
Take a piece of treat, bring it to your dog's nose and let him smell it.
Next, you need to very slowly move your hand with the treat across the pet’s back. Try to keep the treat close to the dog's nose so that he does not try to get up, but remains in a lying position all the time.
The dog will reach for the treat and eventually roll over on its side. Once he is on his side, continue moving your hand with the treat even further until the dog lies on his back and then rolls over to the other side. As soon as the dog is on the other side, say the command “Tumble” and give him the treat.
Repeat the exercise several times. Once your dog has learned how to perfectly perform the Somersault, you can make this exercise a little more difficult.
Complicating the exercise
Doing a back somersault is more difficult because coordination and sense of balance must be more perfect.
The starting position is a deep squat, turning your back to the mat. A strong kick with your legs and a gentle roll back. During the movement, the arms are pulled back, the palms quickly lie near the head in the same way as they are placed when preparing to make a “bridge.” In order not to dampen the inertia of movement, you need to push off with your hands, slightly raising your body and moving it further from this point. This should be done smoothly and quickly at the same time. The main thing is to get a good acceleration and push off sharply with your legs, then at the stage of the middle position it will be much easier to lift yourself up on your hands and push off.
Variants of the Somersault trick
- Practice the “Turl” command in both directions. So that the dog can distinguish between directions of movement, enter the additional command “Roll”
. Thus, when the dog must roll over from the left side to the right, the “Roll” command is given, and when from the right to the left, the “Roll” command is given. It is also recommended to add distinct hand gestures for each direction. - Try to teach your dog to perform the “Tumble” command not only when he is directly in front of you, but also when he is lying to the side of you
. - Practice “Turl” and “Skate” at a distance
. - Give your dog the command “Turl” or “Roll” when he is at your side (in the “Next” position). When the dog rolls up to you, you can step over it with one leg so that the dog ends up between your legs
. This exercise looks very impressive, but some dogs feel uncomfortable in this position. - Place a blanket on the floor and tell your dog to do the “Die” command on it. Make her take a corner of the blanket with her teeth (command “Hold” or “Fetch”), then give the command “Turl” or “Roll” so that the dog wraps herself in the blanket
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note
that these exercises are not easy for large and heavy dogs, as well as those who have problems with the musculoskeletal system. It is better not to perform this exercise as a last resort.
Shoulder somersault
To perform this somersault, often practiced in wrestling, the right leg is placed on the knee and the left hand is placed on the mat (ground). Sliding your palm along the mat, your right hand is transferred to your left foot, after which you need to lean forward and place your shoulder between your left hand and right leg. We turn our head to the left and press our chin to our chest. The push comes from the left leg. After this, we roll on our back from the right shoulder to the left buttock. Next, the left hand extends and with a strong blow to the mat slows down the roll.
Somersault and the "Die" team
How to teach a dog to somersault?
In dancing with dogs, four-legged performers are taught to perform interesting and unusual elements. One of the elements that attracts the greatest interest among athletes is the somersault . The execution of this element looks like this: lying in front of the owner, the dog, on command, turns over on its right or left side, and again finds itself in front of the owner. Our regular expert Polina Ilyina talks about how to achieve this.
While learning a somersault, the trainer holds a treat either in his right or left hand, depending on which direction he begins to teach the dog the trick. I usually start on the right side.
Recommendations:
It is best to start training on a soft, flat and dry surface with a neutral odor (if the dog is squeamish, a bad-smelling surface is not suitable). do not recommend starting on asphalt or a hard floor, so that the animal does not have unpleasant sensations and associations with this command.
Step one.
How to teach a dog to somersault?
In dancing with dogs, four-legged performers are taught to perform interesting and unusual elements. One of the elements that attracts the greatest interest among athletes is the somersault . The execution of this element looks like this: lying in front of the owner, the dog, on command, turns over on its right or left side, and again finds itself in front of the owner. Our regular expert Polina Ilyina talks about how to achieve this. While learning a somersault, the trainer holds a treat either in his right or left hand, depending on which direction he begins to teach the dog the trick. I usually start on the right side.
Recommendations: It is best to start training on a soft, flat and dry surface with a neutral odor (if the dog is squeamish, a bad-smelling surface is not suitable). do not recommend starting on asphalt or a hard floor, so that the animal does not have unpleasant sensations and associations with this command.
Step one.
We lay the four-legged animal exactly in front of us and squat down next to it. In order for the dog to learn to somersault over its right side, I bring my right hand with a treat to its nose and begin to slowly move it over the animal’s left side to the tail so that it reaches behind my hand. As soon as this happens, I praise the dog and feed him a piece of treat. When the dog boldly turns to the tail for a piece, we begin to slowly bring the piece through the base of the tail behind the dog’s back so that it falls on its side and give the piece in this position.
Some dogs, when put down by the command “Lie down,” fall onto their sides. If your dog is one of those, then you don’t have to do Step 1 Step 2. If your dog doesn’t fall over on its side when put down on the command “Lie down” or doesn’t do this after the manipulations described in Step 1, don’t be upset. For some dogs, the point at which the rotation begins may be slightly higher. Such dogs have to carry the piece over their shoulder, and they fall over when the hand gets between their shoulder blades.
If the dog doesn’t want to lie down on its side at all, but likes to lie on the sofa at home, then you can try to start training on the sofa so that the dog is not so scared.
Stage 1
Step two. When the animal has firmly learned that behind the hand that moves across the side to the base of the tail (or, for example, over the shoulder - to the shoulder blade) you need to fall on its side, we continue to lead the piece behind the dog’s back so that it reaches for it and turns over on its back . Finding itself lying on its back, the dog receives encouragement in the form of a treat, and, in addition, in this way we calm the dog so that it does not get scared. If a four-legged dog is afraid to be in this position, it is better to simply, without using your hands, reinforce it with pieces of treats and after a while return to learning the skill from the very beginning.
When the dog is lying on his back, I move the hand with the piece to his chest and between his front paws. If the dog gets its paw caught in a hand, it can be turned over to the other side. But you need to turn the dog over carefully so as not to frighten the animal.
Stage 2
Step three. Now, when the animal boldly rolls over after the moving hand with a treat, I enter a command, for example, “Ale.” I say “Ale” and “turn over” the dog, after which I praise and give the treat.
Step four. At this stage, I give the command “Ale” and gradually move my hand away from the animal’s muzzle (the movement of the hand remains the same - through the left side of the dog behind the back). When the dog manages to roll over, I praise him and reward him with a treat. After this we begin to straighten up. We make a gesture with our right hand, give a command and wait. If the pet immediately rolls over, following the hand, we actively encourage it with our voice and a piece of treat. If the task is still difficult for the dog, then you can bend over a little and move your hand a little lower, thus “suggesting” the desired solution. But, if the previous stages are worked out correctly, difficulties usually do not arise.
Stage 3 and 4
Step five. Now that the dog has learned, lying in front of the handler, to easily and quickly roll over on its right side on command, you can complicate the exercise if desired. We try to put the pet in front of us and from this position we give the command “Ale” . To prevent the dog from making mistakes, we use a gesture to direct it first to the position on the command “Lie down”, and then to the roll itself. If the previous stages are worked out correctly, the animal very quickly masters a somersault from a new position. When the dog can easily and quickly roll over to the right at the command “Ale” , you can begin to teach it to somersault in the other direction. All stages remain the same, but we introduce a new command, for example “Roll” .
Typically, a dog that has mastered stage 1 well can easily master another command: “Die.” To do this, place the treat behind the dog's back, as you did in Step 1 . Then, when the dog falls over on its side, praise with your voice and feed the pieces not behind its back, but exactly in front of it, but so that it does not get up. When the dog has learned to calmly fall on its side, we enter the command “Die”. Next, we straighten up and move the hand with the piece away from the dog’s muzzle, as described in Step 4 .
It is better to teach this command only after the dog has learned to tumble well, because... If you immediately start teaching this command, the animal may become confused, and the dog will not roll over, but constantly “suggest” freezing on its side.
Moving backwards
This element can often be seen in freestyle performances. It is interesting in itself, and is also necessary for teaching a dog more complex skills, for example, moving a snake backwards under the trainer’s feet. Even if you are involved in any other canine sport, it makes sense to teach your dog to move backwards. This will develop coordination of movements, and if the pet is small, it will teach him not to be afraid of the trainer’s feet... Our regular expert Polina Ilyina talks about how to achieve this.
Sidebar: Here, as with many other freestyle skills, I give the dog a treat from both hands so he can move back more smoothly.
Step 1. First, I interest the four-legged dog with a treat and hold my hand at the level of its muzzle, as if aiming at the collar area. If you lower the treat too low, the dog will lie down; if you lower the treat too high, he will sit. Find a hand position that causes your dog to arch his neck to try to get the treat, and wait for him to take a step back. Now encourage her. Give your pet a treat every time he takes a step back.
Step 2. You can train your dog by moving along a fence or in narrow corridors where its maneuver is limited by your leg on one side and a wall on the other. In this case, the animal develops the habit of retreating correctly, without tilting its croup to the side. I don’t push the quad with a treat, but wait until he takes a step back, and only then do I encourage him. When the dog understands what the owner requires of him and begins to willingly retreat, during his movement I begin to say the word “Back!” This is how the pet develops an associative connection between the signal (“Back!”) and its action (moving backward). The backward movement can be trained at the same time in another way (I use it when practicing indoors). You show the dog a treat, lean forward a little and, as soon as he retreats or has already taken a step away. Praise and throw a tidbit for the dog. She will, of course, turn around, but most importantly, she will expect to receive the treat at a distance from you. In this case, the dog will be less “attached” to your hands and will be more willing to move away from you. For some dogs, the best option is to throw the treat under their chest rather than behind them.
Step 3. At the next stage, give the dog the command to start moving and wait. If you have had enough training, she will confidently retreat. Reward her right away. By gradually developing this skill, you can teach your pet to move backwards at a relatively high speed, which can be useful when choreographing a dance.
Step 4 . Pay attention to the posture of the trainer: arms are lowered or hidden behind the back. I lean forward a little and move slightly towards the dog to cue him to back off. Of course, as the animal masters the skill, my movements become less and less noticeable to an outside observer.
How to train a dog to “snake”?
Freestyle athletes often include the “snake” in the dance, as it is a beautiful, rhythmic element, the variations of which can be created in many ways. So, today, Polina Ilyina, a cynologist instructor, master of sports in cynology, winner of many competitions in freestyle and other canine sports disciplines, shares her experience in training a dog to “snake” with readers.
Step One Before you start teaching your dog this element, rehearse your own movements. Putting your leg forward, bend it at the knee and lean on your toes. The second leg should be straightened, as in the photo. With this position of the owner's legs, the largest space opens up in front of the dog, into which even a Newfoundland can walk. Very soon your dog will begin to focus on the bending of the trainer’s leg as a command, and will not confuse which side and where to go.
Step two So let's begin. In the process of learning most elements, the trainer – the freestyler – holds a treat in both hands, and the “snake” is no exception. When the dog comes out from under your right leg, you give him a treat with your right hand, and when he comes out from under your left leg, you give him a treat with your left hand. While the dog is moving, I constantly praise it with my voice and try to give a treat only after praising it. In this case, the dog does not lose interest in learning, moves with pleasure, and tries. And when he enters the competition area, the judges will give him higher marks for his good movements and courage.
Step Three After the dog, coming out from under my feet, began to wait for the treat, I, firstly, begin to give the signal “Snake!” (I haven’t spoken the command until now), and secondly, I introduce a variable reinforcement regime, i.e. I reward the dog not every time, but randomly. For example, after two, five, three times, then after one, four and so on. The main thing is that there is no system here. The introduction of a varied regime allows you to maintain the dog’s interest in the learning process: having not received a treat, it tries to earn it again and does not stop if it has not received it. I give food either from my right or from my left hand, which is again unpredictable for the pet. This is necessary so that it moves equally well in both directions. If you say "Snake!" Only in those moments when the dog was moving well and immediately after this signal you give a treat, the dog develops an associative connection: its correct movement - signal - treat. Thus the signal turns into a command.
Step Four At the next stage, I minimize the movements of my arms and begin to straighten my body: I no longer have to bend over to lure the dog out from under my leg. I call my pet to my left leg, then show the treat and stick out my right leg, give the command and wait. Usually at this stage the dog itself jumps under the leg and, going around it, gets a treat. If she doesn't do this, I prompt her by turning my body or lowering my right hand slightly.
Step Five After the dog learns to walk 8-10 steps non-stop on the voice command “Snake!” without my prompting, this command can be included in the dance.
Every dog learns at a different speed. It is important that the training is not too long and does not bore the animal. When training a young dog, I devote 30 seconds to 3-4 minutes to this element. If it is difficult, it is better to return to the element later (in the same lesson) than to rehearse it for too long.
Step six Team “Snake!” there are many variations. For example, I’m standing still, and the dog runs around my legs in a figure eight. I don’t change the voice command, I just say: “Snake!” The dog understands which leg it should turn under, focusing on which of them is bent and which is straightened. I don't have to waste time explaining this variation of the command - if the command "Snake!" in motion it is well developed, in place the dog understands it itself.
Step seven If your dog is small or medium-sized, when moving, you can bend the forward leg even more so that the pet will have to jump over it. At the beginning of training, I again have to tell the dog with my hand where to jump. But training this variation of the “snake” does not require much effort: the dog can jump, and no one has kicked it, which means it will easily and without fear accept this new element for it.
Step Eight You can make a “snake”, moving in a circle, change the speed and size of the step, spin in place, choosing the variation of the command that fits well with the music you have chosen. If the dog follows your movements well and knows which foot he needs to follow, he will perform this element beautifully and rhythmically.
Recesses
If the dog is on your left, put your right leg forward, if on your right, put your left leg forward.
Give your dog a treat only when he comes out from under one leg and is almost ready to go under the other. If a dog is trained to walk around its owner's feet rather than under them, it will not freeze in a dance under its handler's feet.
Home command training
How to teach a dog to do “House”.
Athletes involved in "Dancing with Dogs" often include the element "Home" in the dance. It is especially common in “HeelWork - moving side by side to the music.” “House” looks like this: the dog walks around the owner and stands between his legs, raising his head up, looking into the owner’s face. When the owner moves (forward or backward), the dog moves with him so that the dog’s shoulders are at the level of his legs. Our regular expert Polina Ilyina will tell readers how to properly train a dog in this element. because in this discipline “Home” is one of the positions. Performing an element Before you begin teaching an animal to perform this technique in motion, the skill must be broken down into elements.
Stage 1. While learning the “Home” command, as usual and in most cases, the trainer holds the treat in both hands. I place the four-legged student exactly in front of me. Next, I bring a piece of treat to the dog’s nose with my right hand, and bring it behind my back, and then “catch” it with my left hand and bring it out under my feet. In this position, I give the dog a piece of treat. When the dog has firmly learned that in order to detect a hand with a treat located near its muzzle, you need to go around the owner and go under his feet, I enter the command “ Home ”.
Stage 2. Now I put the dog in front of me, having interested him with a treat in my right hand, I give the command “Home” and make a quick movement of my hand around the right leg, thus telling the dog how to get into the desired position. If the dog manages to cope with the task, I praise it with my voice and give it a treat. After which I begin to straighten my body and put my hands behind my back, give the command and wait. If the pet walks around me and is in the right position, I immediately reward him with my voice and a piece of treat. If the task is still “Home” by voice command, then when practicing the skill you need to give the command before the gesture. is difficult for the dog, then you can lean a little towards it and offer to follow the hand again, so that the dog quickly finds the right solution. Particular attention should be paid to this stage to avoid the common mistake of giving a gesture before a command. In the future, the dog in the dance must perform
Stage 3. Now that the dog has learned to easily and quickly walk around and stop under the owner’s feet on command, you can begin to move. I take the treat in both hands, give the command “Home” and begin to move forward, holding the treat near the dog’s nose. When the four-legged student has learned to boldly move forward for a piece of treat, I begin to move my hands away from the animal’s muzzle so that the dog is looking up.
When the dog confidently fixes his gaze on his face, I give the command “Home” and remove my hands behind my back. If the dog maintains the correct position during the movement and holds its head up, you can move on to the next stage. If not, continue practicing the exercise until you are sure that the dog has mastered the skill well. It should be noted that at this stage it is very important to feed the dog alternately from the right and left hand, then it moves more smoothly and looks up.
Stage 4. At this stage I complicate the exercise, i.e. I'm starting to teach the dog to move backwards. By this time, the dog should have an idea of moving backwards from the owner (learning this skill is described in detail in the article “Moving backwards” in the magazine “My Friend the Dog” No. 11, 2010). Next, I give the command “Home”, and as soon as the dog is in the desired position, I repeat the command and, placing my hands under the animal’s chest, begin to move back. If the dog immediately begins to step back, I praise it with my voice and treat it with a treat. Be careful when practicing this skill. The dog must be in the correct position, that is, clearly between the owner’s legs. Then I try to complicate the exercise, as we did in stage 3 - I straighten my body, raise my arms to my chest, and then put them behind my back. If, in response to a command, the dog begins to move backwards at the same time as the owner, then it has understood what is required of it. Next, I secure the element by repeating the steps several times.
If the dog performs the movements confidently and correctly, you can complicate this exercise a little more.
Stage 5. At this stage, I explain to the dog the movement in the “Home” position with turns of 1800, that is, the owner moves in a straight line, turning by 1800, either on the right or on the left leg, while the dog maintains the correct position.
So, I put the dog in front of me and give the command “Home” so that the dog is between my legs. To make it easier for the pet, first I lower my hands with a treat to the animal’s nose, give the command again and make a 1800 turn with the dog over my right shoulder. After this, I praise the dog with my voice and give the treat. Then I give the command “Home” again and make another turn, but this time over my left shoulder, helping the dog get to the desired position. When the dog has clearly learned that it needs to turn behind the hand with the piece, at the same time as the owner, you can try raising your hands, for example to your chest, give the command “Home” and make turns. When I see that the dog confidently turns with me on command, I complicate the exercise and remove my hands behind my back, as in the previous stages.
First, I reward each turn made with a treat, and then gradually increase the number of steps without a treat. Usually a dog that has mastered stages 1-4 well can cope with the “sideways” movement without difficulty.
To make the element look more impressive in dance, it can be supplemented. For example, with the command “Put” - the dog, being in the “Home” position, places its front paws on the owner’s feet. When mastering this skill, I use the principles of teaching a dog the elements “Spanish Step” and “Bunny”.
To make the “Home” element look original, it can also be slightly modified. For example, a dog can perform this skill using the same principle, only by crawling. Another option is to change the “correct” position so that when the owner moves forward, the dog moves backwards.
Even in dance, the “Home” command can be beautifully continued by jumping over any object. We will talk about how to train a dog to jump in one of the following articles.
Author: Olga Ulyanko Photo: In the photo: Ilyina Polina and Pyrenean Shepherd Dog Hardy
Jumping over obstacles
How to teach a dog to jump over an obstacle? Jumping is an integral part of various types of canine sports, such as OKD, IPO, Flyball, Frisbee and, of course, Dancing with Dogs.
Jumps, depending on the sport, can be different. We will look at 3 types most often used in Dancing with Dogs - through an obstacle, on the spot with a turn of 1800 and with a turn of 1800, pushing off from something. In this article we will start by studying the 1st type of jumping - over an obstacle. Our regular expert Polina Ilyina talks about how to achieve this.
In the dance, any object can be used as an obstacle over which the dog jumps, for example a stick, an umbrella, a hoop, or simply the legs or arms of the handler. To successfully teach a dog this skill, it is best to use an easily removable* barrier at the initial stage of training.
*An easily dropped barrier is a projectile consisting of:
- base
- a stick that falls easily if you lean on it.
Step one. At the initial stage, the height of the obstacle should be minimal so that the dog is not afraid to step over it. Then I take a toy or piece of treat in my hand, bring it to the dog's nose and step over the barrier with the dog. As soon as the dog steps over, I praise him and feed him treats (or give him a toy). When the animal boldly overcomes the obstacle with me, I, approaching the projectile, send the dog over the barrier, and I go around it on the right side. In order for the dog to have more confidence in overcoming an obstacle, at the initial stage I place a toy or a bowl of food after the projectile. Now, when the dog begins to boldly jump over an obstacle, I enter a command, for example “Barrier”
Step two. When the dog has firmly learned that the command “Barrier” requires overcoming an obstacle, you can slightly increase the height of the barrier. If the dog easily overcomes the obstacle, I praise it and feed it a piece of treat.
Recommendations: You should not scold the dog if it gets caught and throws off the projectile stick. As a rule, dogs, experiencing the unpleasant sensation of something falling behind them, try to overcome the obstacle more carefully.
Now that the dog has learned to easily overcome the obstacle, I replace the easily resettable barrier with a stick. I approach, for example, a wall or a tree so that the wall is on my left side. I hold a stick in my hand and place it against the tree so that it forms a “barrier” in front of the dog. In my right hand I hold a stimulus (a piece of treat or a toy), which I use to help the dog overcome the obstacle correctly. Then I give the dog the “Barrier” command. If the pet immediately jumps over the stick, we actively encourage him with a voice and a piece of treat.
Step three. Now, when the animal boldly jumps over an obstacle on command, I move away from the tree (or wall) and “invite” the dog to jump over the stick placed in front of it. I say the command “Barrier” and, as soon as the dog overcomes the obstacle, I praise and give a treat.
When the dog has clearly learned that on the command “Barrier” you need to jump over the stick, you can further change obstacles, for example, take an umbrella or a cane.
Step four. To make the element look more impressive and original in the dance, I also train the dogs to jump over my arms or legs. The training is similar to Step 2, i.e. First I squat down and create a “barrier” by touching the tree (or wall). Then, I say the command “Barrier” and with my other hand I move through the obstacle, prompting the dog in the right direction.
Recommendation 1: To make the jump more beautiful and longer, I usually place the reward at a distance of at least a meter on the opposite side of the obstacle. To prevent the dog from immediately rushing for a treat without following the command, you can ask someone to place a reward when the four-legged student is directly in front of the “barrier”.
When the dog has learned to boldly jump over an arm or leg near a tree on command, further training proceeds in the same way as Step 3.
Recommendation 2:
If the dog does not immediately understand that you need to jump over parts of the body, then you can first hold a barrier stick over your arm or leg, and then slowly remove it.
Now that the dog has learned to overcome an obstacle (arm or leg), I praise with my voice and “ask” him to return to the starting position, walking around behind me. When giving the next “Barrier” command, I try to minimize the hand gesture so that in the future the dog will jump over the “barrier” on a voice command.
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A little theory
What does the "Somersault" command mean? At the command or gesture of the owner, the animal must turn from a lying position around its axis through its side (right or left), once again finding itself in its original position.
To develop the skill, a reward method is used: any treat that is not part of the pet’s regular diet. This could be biscuits, a piece of cheese, ham, or a ready-made treat that is sold in any pet store today.
It is important to exercise on an empty stomach so that the animal willingly and enthusiastically performs the exercise proposed by the trainer. During one lesson you should not study for more than 10-15 minutes. It is best to alternate commands so that the dog does not get tired of the monotony, and the brain is in active work all the time.
Before starting the study, the pet must be able to perform other commands: “Stand”, “Lie down”, etc.
The initial skill is developed in a calm environment, where there are no distracting stimuli. It is best to teach your dog the “Turl” command at home in a spacious room on a warm floor. In the future, you can work outside, but the requirements for the surface remain the same:
- it must be clean and dry;
- without sharp objects that could injure the student.
If you conduct lessons in the mud, on wet grass, this can cause negative emotions in the animal, which will ultimately lead to a complete refusal to obey.
Classes are always conducted in a good mood. If the dog for some reason refuses to follow the command, then it is better to postpone the training until the next time when the pet is ready to learn.
Under no circumstances should you punish or yell at a “student.” Such actions will cause the pet to hate its owner.
Important! Not all animals can roll over easily. Typically, difficulties arise in dogs of large breeds, as well as pets suffering from musculoskeletal disorders. Learning a trick is contraindicated for them.
Operating rules
You can teach a dog the “Turl” command only after practicing the “Lie down” order. An approximate training scheme is as follows.
- The command “Lie down” is given. After all, it is from this position that the animal must rotate around its axis.
- The treat, held in the left or right hand, is brought to the pet’s nose so that the animal does not snatch it away ahead of time.
- When the animal smells a treat, the palm is slowly moved back, continues moving along the back and placed behind the pet’s head. By following the treat with its nose, the dog will eventually roll over on its own. If necessary, you can help her a little with your free hand.
- The command “Tumble” is given and reward is immediately given, the dog is stroked approvingly, saying “Well done!”
At the beginning of classes, rewards are given for each correctly completed order. Over time, giving treats is eliminated, otherwise the animal will subsequently refuse to work without food.
They practice until the dog begins to carry out the command without the help of a trainer, only by one gesture or voice command. Afterwards, you can move on to complicating the skill - teaching the dog to turn around on the other side.
They work according to the same scheme, only the usual “Turl” command is replaced with an alternative one, for example “Roll” or “Roll”. This is necessary so that the watchdog clearly knows which direction he needs to turn over now.
Sharpening Your Abilities
Complicating the skill is the partial exclusion of food reward. For this:
- stop giving food after each command;
- increase the gap between the giving of food and the actions taken;
- treats are changed periodically so that the animal has an incentive to work and is interested in it;
- if a treat is not given, then the pet must be praised verbally - any approval from the owner is important for him.
Next, they go outside to practice. Again, they are looking for a deserted area where the dog often visits, so that it does not have to take a long time to adapt to the new place. Over time, tricks can be performed in other, busier, noisier places in the presence of strangers. It is important to move gradually and slowly from one stage to another.
