Purpose: This video shows the UPDATED strategy I have developed for teaching a Rear Foot to Hand Target, and builds on the Rear Foot to Hand Target (Part 1) behavior. In this phase, we introduce the Rear Foot to HAND component, and fade the pup’s reliance on the Rear Foot Platform as a visual / contextual cue.
Equipment: Rubber Feed Bowl, 1-2 Sitting or Standing Platforms with a height equal to ½ – ¾ hock height, and 1 Foot Target
NOTE: This Rear Foot to Hand (Part 2) variation contains two separate phases that need to be executed in order. The first portion introduces how to “capture” the Foot to Hand component of the behavior. The second portion covers how to “fade” the Rear Foot Target. Please make sure your pup is executing the behavior in Phase 1 to fluency before attempting the behavior in Part 2. This is covered in the video.
Targets: This Part 2 variation is still a body awareness behavior more than an actual exercise at this point. That being said, the rear leg lift inherent in the movement challenges the gluteals and hip stabilizers on the grounded leg, abdominals, and the hip flexors (including the iliopsoas) on the lifted leg. The shoulder stabilizers on the opposite side of the grounded rear leg are also being challenged significantly.
Watchpoints:
- It is very common for dogs to be “handed” and to have a preferred or easier direction. If that tendency showed itself in the Rear Foot to Hand Target (Part 1) variation, it will likely show up here as well. Try not to panic or rush the process. This behavior requires a lot of coordination, and coordination takes time to develop. Slow and steady progress is what we’re after.
- It is very important that you don’t grab, manually lift, or hold onto the dog’s leg/foot. Grabbing or lifting the foot using your own muscles can create suspicion/aversion in some dogs and make the pup less likely to attempt the Foot to Hand behavior all together. Be patient, and wait for the right time to slip your hand in for the target.
- Before attempting to fade the Rear Foot Platform, the dog must be fluent in the Foot to Hand behavior covered in the first portion of this video (executing with 85% accuracy). Splitting is better than lumping multiple skills together. So if your pup is struggling, take a step back and revisit the strategy covered in the first portion of this Video Tutorial.
- We are not worried about alignment at this point. We will address alignment, and turn this “behavior” into an actual exercise in the Rear Foot to Hand Target (Part 3): Intermediate Video Tutorial.
