canine freestyle moves database

Teaching position using a pivot platform

dog mounts the pivot platform

Aim: is for the dog to place two paws on the platform squarely in front of you. We are not yet clicking rear end movement. We want 2 paws on the platform only, placed with deliberation. We also want the dog to become magnetized to the pot, that is, as soon as the pot is put down the dog mounts it and remains on it.

Prepare for your training session: Get your treats and clicker (if using a clicker)
                        Get your pivot platform (pot), but don’t put it down yet
                        Get your dog

Ask the dog “Are you ready?” or whatever you say at the start of a training session.

Position yourself so that when you put the pot down it will be between you and the dog so that the dog can come straight to you and be in front of you and has a better chance of touching the pot. Once the pot is down you will stand still and look at the dog in general, that is, at this stage you do not necessarily want eye contact. Sometimes eye contact can be intimidating to the dog. 

Put the pot down in front of your feet and stand close to it ensuring there will be enough room for the dog’s head and chest should he mount it straight away. If you are too close to the pot the dog may be reluctant to mount it or may approach it from the side.

Once the pot is down click for the slightest interaction the dog has with the pot. Examples are:

                        Looking at the pot, glance or even head turn

                        Moving towards the pot, even a weight shift in the direction of the pot

                        A tentative claw scratch on the pot

                        A paw touch on the pot

                        A paw placed with deliberation on the pot

                        Any weight shift to the one paw on the pot

                        Two paws on the pot … jackpot!!!!!!

Most dogs will be in front of you. After you have clicked:

                        If the dog is in front of you, facing you, toss the treat so that it lands in front of you and behind the dog. The dog will leave
the pot, go and get the treat, turn around and come straight back to be in front of you.

                        If the dog is not directly in front of you, facing you, toss the treat out in front of you. The dog will leave the pot, get the treat
and hopefully turn around and come straight to you and be in front.

Initially the dog may swipe the pot with his nails or his whole paw.

Once you get regular paw swipes on the pot, withhold the click. The dog will most likely give you multiple paw swipes and then place his paw on the pot and leave it there a few moments. Click that, then toss the treat behind him, out in front of you.

With one paw on the pot you can repeatedly C/T while that paw is on the pot. Reset by tossing a treat behind him.

When you regularly get one paw placed deliberately on the pot, you can C/T in quick succession and present the teat so the dog has to lift his head or even put weight on the paw on the pot to raise himself higher to get the treat. At this stage he will most likely place his second paw on the pot for comfort and balance.

Continue working at this level until he will predictabley place two feet on the pot.

There is no need for you to move around the pot. Simply stand still and have the dog mount the pot in front of you. If the dog will not stand squarely in front of you, don’t worry. The aim is to get two paws on the pot.

For a clicker savvy dog the above will most likely take only one training session.

If you are new to clicker training or if the dog lacks confidence or is new to clicker training don’t worry if the above takes a little longer. It will happen.

Don’t move on to further training on the pot until the dog is “magnetized” to it.

 

Troubleshooting

 

Dog won’t interact with the pot.

…      Initially the dog needs to know that the training session is “all about the pot”. If you have spent a few sessions without any interaction with the
pot, place a treat on the pot and click when the dog lowers his head to get the treat. Reward the first few clicks from your hand before placing
another treat on the pot. 

You can progress to pretending to place a treat on the pot and clicking when the dog lowers his head to check where your hand has been.

  You cannot do too much of this, else the dog will think you want “nose on pot”.

 …      You can try some food under the pot, to try and get the dog to paw the pot to get to the food. Each time the paw touches the pot click and
toss the treat behind the dog to reset the dog. After a few sessions with the food under the pot, remove the food.

 

 

Dog Tap Dances on the Pot

… If you have a dog that seems to be
always aroused, excited and likes to move
constantly, chances are this dog will “tap
dance” with his front paws on the pot.

...  A higher pot will help keep the paws still.

Tap Dancing on the Pivot Platform

Using a Taller Pot

The getting started process

This video illustrates the getting started process in which the dog is to regularly put two paws on the pot.

In this video we are not looking for eye contact or rear end movement, simply the dog returning to put the front paws on the pot.

The treat is tossed out in front of the handler, behind the dog, so that when the dog returns all he has to do is put the front paws on the pot which is between the handler and the dog.

 

Two Paws on Platform