Purpose: This video shows the UPDATED strategy I have developed for teaching a Rear Foot to Hand Target. At the Foundation level, we are priming the dog to execute the Side Stepping behavior learned in the Pivot and Pivot + Step Up exercises, which will allow us to “capture” the Foot to Hand behavior later in the Part 2 variation. But for now, first-things-first… we focus on building value to the Rear Foot to Platform behavior.
Equipment: Rubber Feed Bowl, and 1-2 Sitting or Standing Platforms with a height equal to ½ – ¾ hock height.
Targets: This Part 1 variation lays the foundation for a fluent Rear Foot to Hand Target which is a strengthening exercise and of itself, and which many future exercises will build upon. At the Foundation level, we are teaching mainly body awareness. Later this exercise will become a balance and strength challenge to the gluteals, core, iliopsoas, foot and shoulder stabilizers.
NOTE: The goal of this exercise is to teach a single Rear Foot Target to the Platform. For dogs who are stepping BOTH rear feet onto the platform, adjusting placement of reward closer to the platform will help slow the Side Stepping behavior, and help you capture the SINGLE Rear Foot Target. For dogs that are reluctant to pivot toward the platform, the opposite strategy should be used, and Placement of Reward should be adjusted away from the platform. This is covered in the Video Tutorial
Watchpoints:
- It’s important to attempt the Rear Foot to Platform behavior going in one direction at a time. So execute all repetitions to the dog’s right, take a short play break, change the Prop Setup, and then execute all the receptions to the dog’s left.
- Only one Rear Foot Target should be available at a time. This provides the clearest visual instructions to the dog, avoids confusion, and will make the exercise come together much more quickly.
- We are not worried about alignment at this point. We can only teach one thing at a time, and for now we are teaching the Rear Foot to Platform Target behavior. Alignment will be refined in the Part 3 variation.
- It is normal for dogs to be “handed” and have an easier time stepping in one directions vs the other. Don’t panic! At this phase of training the Rear Foot to Hand Target, we are intentionally taking the time to build value to the “harder” side to avoid developing muscle imbalances in the future.
- If your pup is motivated by toys more than food, we can use the toy to build value to the food and conditioning behaviors themselves. I do this by asking the pup for a few repetitions (2-3) of the Foot to Platform Target behavior, rewarding with food for each correct repetition, release from the props, and then present the toy for some toy play! In this way we pair the food and conditioning exercises with the toy, and make the game of canine conditioning more fun for toy driven dogs.
