Dog Training: Swimmer's Turn
Box Turns: Introduction
When you put the target on the box... won't the dog just touch the target with both front feet? How do you get the back feet up there too for the swimmer's turn?
-Cynthia Blue
My short answer to the comment above was that it depends on how you set up the dog. When I thought about it, I realized that there are a lot of factors to consider about how to set up the dog for this exercise and what you must do to achieve a four-footed swimmer's turn.
Factors to consider:
- Dog size. Big dogs have a harder time getting their back feet up on the box than little dogs. In between "big" and "little" there is every size imaginable! If your dog is medium to small build, the easiest swimmer's turn amounts to pouncing on the box and planting all four feet onto the pedal simultaneously. If your dog's build is too large for all him to actually "fit" all four feet up there comfortably, then you are going to have to teach him a two part swimmer's turn which will involve kicking off the box with the back feet after the front feet have made contact.
- Temperment. Some dogs have a high energy level coupled with high "prey drive". They may be so motivated by the prospect of reward that it may be problematic to slow down their path on and off the box enough to pattern the back feet for a proper swimmer's turn. Others may have such a low energy level that they treat approaching the box like a walk in the park.
- Maturity level. A puppy or a young dog may have a short attention span. You can't work very long before they are looking for something else to do, especially if they do not understand what behavior will get them their reward.
Every dog is unique in their genetic behavioral make up. I'm sure there are more factors then the ones I've listed above but I consider them to be the major factors.
Now, how do you set up the dog to illicit the swimmer's turn on the box?
- First, we assume the dog responds to the clicker.
- Second, we also assume you know which way your dog naturally turns.
- Lastly, we assume dog has learned to put his feet on the target with a word cue.
You will need at least two assistants for this exercise. One person stands on the box. Of course, there is no ball involved. However, the box will need bracing against the force of the dog jumping on it and also, you want to teach the dog to expect a human to be standing on the box.
The second assistant will be holding your dog for you until the proper time to release the dog.
If your dog turns to his left, have your assistent hold your dog on the right side of the lane. (Dog's right.) You should have your left foot planted in front of and center of the box. You should find you are semi-facing your dog. You should have your dog's "motivator" ready to guide his path on to and off of the box. Your dog should only be one step away from you as a starting point. You should have placed the target onto the box where you want your dog's front feet to make first contact with the box.
When the dog is released, you must be prepared to use your body to help guide the dog from your right side, onto and then off of the box, and then back down the lane on your left side. You will do a "half pivot" right in front of the box with your dog jumping onto and then off of the box in a half circle around you. You shouldn't need to move more than one step away from the box while doing this exercise. Your dog should get a click every time both his front and his rear feet touch the pedal. It might be helpful to have your box assistant do the clicking so you can concentrate on guiding your dog's path.
If your dog turns to his right, you will set up the exact opposite way. Your dog will begin from his left side of the lane. You will place your right foot in front of and center of the box, etc.
Anyway, when you, your dog and your assistants are ready, offer your dog's motivator (food or toy), call your dog's name and use your word cue for "target". (Could be "PUSH" or "HIT IT", whatever you choose) Your assistant should release the dog the moment the dog is focused on you, the target and the motivator. In one smooth motion, pivot in front of the box and guide the dog up and then off while using the motivator. Lavishly praise your dog for any effort to get his feet on the box. Eventually, raise the criteria for a click and reward only the best turns.
What if your dog consistently "misses" putting his rear feet on the box?
A jump board is especially helpful for the big dogs who have a "two part" swimmer's turn. You can use the jump board even in the "introductory phase".
That's how I set up introducing the swimmer's turn using clicker and target. Does anybody have a different method? Tell me about it! ....and, in the meantime,
See you at practice!
5 comments:
Okay thanks so much for that I understand. :)
I have read one method that says to teach the dog to go around a cone... then put the cone in a corner, and go around it tightly. Then put the box behind the cone. At first far enough away they don't touch it, and then keep moving it closer to the cone until they are banking off the box to go around the cone.
However, I think I like your method better. My new collie girl is not too high energy.. well, I take that back. She is very high energy lol. Just not with me.. she is people shy still. She is more outgoing when another dog is in the mix. Not sure how I can set that up, but I have been working with her to be high energy for me, too, with toys.
I've already been working the target with her, and shaping the foot touch to it with the clicker. She is fun to work with. I love clicker training! Ever been to the clicker expo? I just got back, it was amzing!
Nope! Never been to the clicker expo but, I am avidly reading your blog entries about it.
Beginning with a cone sounds interesting. My method is a variation which uses your own body for the dog to go around. I like it because it keeps the dog working very close to you.
The thing about clicker is that its so versatile. I've seen clicker used to teach a dog the difference between spinning left and spinning right. (Useful in Agility) I saw a Corgi that was clicker taught to scratch her ear on cue. VERY cute trick!
The target is just a tool. I've tried to tell people that the target is on the box only long enough or often enough to get the dog doing the basic swimmer's turn. Once they are consistent putting front AND back feet on the box, THEN you start doing dead ball retrieves on the box. Remove the target as quickly as you can.
If the box work starts to fall apart, put the target back in briefly, just as a reminder. Or, use the jump board.
Some of my dogs need the jump board for every run that is not real racing. It's always there for practice and warmups for them.
Thanks! My BC Chase was just trained with a toy as a lure on the box.. and without a jump in front he does not get his back feet up there nor does he push off with his back feet. I'm going to a Touch n Go Seminar end of this month to get some ideas about how to fix him up. And if I put a ball on velcro on the practice box, he doesn't use his back at all. He just stops, front feet on the box, and grabs the ball off. Not good!
I don't want Tatum to even start that way, I want to get her back feet up there at the very beginning so she pushes off with them!
"...And if I put a ball on velcro on the practice box, he doesn't use his back at all. He just stops, front feet on the box, and grabs the ball off. "
Even with the jumpboard there? ....hmmmm.
Try this: Have jumpboard in place and warm up the swimmer's turn. NO ball. When you're ready for the ball, just place it on the ledge below the proper hole. Work close to him at the box like you were a traffic cone. AS SOON as he is on the box and grabbing his ball, throw his reward toy down the lane. (So, from his perspective, it's "ball, toy. Ball, toy")
YES....he will l;et go of the ball as soon as he sees the toy. That's ok. You are just rewarding for the box turn.
If the turn keeps falling apart, take the ball out of the picture. (BCs can be so ball-driven!)
The turn is more important than the ball....so, that means we can take it out of the picture at any time and add it back in later. It's also the reason that the jumpboard stays in the picture all the time. It's to reinforce the swimmer's turn.
I use a board to train a turn. I start with the board on the ground and a jump in front (this is after knowing which way the dog turns). I have the dog go over the jump and once the back feet hit the board the reward is thrown the direction the dog came from - I throw the reward because I want the dog to drive off the box. I will then start putting the board against the box and will keep changing the angle until it is lies flat against the box front. I do add a ball as soon as possible to teach the dog that the ball and turn go hand and hand. I also teach the dog to steal the ball. Once the dog gets a nice turn with the board flat against the box, I take the board away.
I always try to keep the dog in front of the handler (basically the handler draws a U when luring the dog over the jump onto the board). This does take practice sometimes. I want a tight turn and I have seen many dogs taught to turn wide which pushes them outside the jumps.
If the dog seems to have a hard time with the above I will combine using body, cone, etc... to help get the dog up on the box.
I recently just put some boards under the front of my box to change the angle (my training board is MIA). It worked pretty well but I still like my board method.
It usually takes just a short time to get the dog doing a nice quick turn.
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