Training Left Turns

There are various methods for training a neat left turn... I am currently working on the Silvia Trkman method with my two as it made sense to me. How have you taught your dogs this?

I have no idea what her method is, if you mean left turns for obedience (as opposed to agility) then basically I train heelwork as follows.

Get the position but at arms length and food drop

Once I have the action I want and the position, I gradually bring the dog in closer to me.

As heelwork is a position, not a movement, they are taught that when my feet are not together they remain in the stand and then I do left and right circles, gradually making the circles smaller so the dog's musculature is built correctly.

When the dog can do serpentines fluidly maintaining a fluency in the steps etc I then will start doing static work.

Using my hand to follow the dog moves forward and backwards and then his back end to the left.

So basically I teach my dog to use its back end to get into positions.

Not sure that helps very much.

I get the dog`s attention, hold treat in left hand, pull it back and turn sharp left. The dog pivots because he`s following the treat with his head.

http://m288.photobucket.com/albumvie...G8582.jpg.html

Not sure if you can see above, this is me and me laddo at a recent training event

Thats interesting----it works really well to show the position and movement.

rune

Have done it in a couple of ways. I like the dog to be confident at heel (able to hit the position without a body cue from various places).

I will usually have taught the dog to have a back end awareness (usually by getting them to walk back in a straight line).

I will sometimes use a chair and click the back end movement. (Making sure the turns are nice 90 degree ones)

Or I will stand the dog on something (depending on size of the dog and upturned bucket or paint tin). With the dogs from feet on the bucket. I start my making sure the dog is comfy moving its back feet, keeping the front feet on the mark. (clicking any movement to start with). Once the dog is confident I will start to stand next to the bucket and ask the dog to heel (it has to move its back feet in order to get into the position) then we start to move round.

Maybe not the clearest explanation

This is pretty much the Silvia Trkman method I like C&D's method too. Will go and watch your video now SB, thanks

I don't think I can really explain properly how I taught the left turn, apart from saying that once my dog has been taught to walk to heel (luring into position initially with either a ball or a treat) and is happy to do the right turn, using the same luring technique, then I use the lead brought back toward my body and kind of walk "across" the front of the dog if that makes sense. Due to the dog already being aware of the heel position he naturally pivots his backend to remain in position.

Nice pic SB - your boy looks darker in that pic than the PDB one - VERY nice.

- I had not realised - sorry (I have been doing it that way for quite a long time!)

No need to be sorry Well done you, I would never have thought up something like that by myself