.jpg)
The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
Practical dog training advice in under 5 minutes. 5 New episodes uploaded every Monday.
WIth over 20 years of Family Dog training experience, our podcast includes tips, tricks, and explanations, so you can better understand why your dog does what he does. We also provide dog training scenarios to help you curb any unwanted behaviors.
Training is easy. It really is. Let us show you how easy!
The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
#127 Reverse Gear for Your Dog
Ever dropped something fragile in front of your dog and wished you could instantly move them away from danger? The "back up" command might be the most underrated skill in your dog training toolkit, offering benefits far beyond the average trick.
Do you have a topic that you would like us to cover in an upcoming episode? If so, visit our website and submit the contact form. https://fiveminutedog.com
Join our online dog training platform - Click here or use this link https://courses.personablepets.com/
One on One training with a Family Dog expert - Click here or use this link https://personablepets.com/virtual-sessions
Follow us on TikTok
Check us out of Facebook
FInd us on Instagram
Teaching your dog to back up is one of those underrated cues, but it is so helpful in everyday life. It's not just impressive to your friends, it builds better body awareness for your dog, improves coordination and it can even prevent accidents. So let's talk about how to train the backup cue First. You may be wondering why should I even teach the backup cue? Backing up helps your dog move away politely, without jumping, crowding or crashing into things and without you having to grab a collar and trying to physically manipulate him. Being able to ask your dog to back up really comes in handy in doorways or tight spaces, even for safety purposes. If you drop glass in front of your dog, being able to cue him to back up keeps him safe and out of the way. So here's how you're going to train your him to back up keeps him safe and out of the way. So here's how you're going to train your dog to back up. First, we want to make sure that we set up an environment that will help our dog succeed. That means that maybe we start in a more narrow location, a hallway between a couch and the table, somewhere that naturally encourages your dog to move backwards instead of turning around or stepping sideways. And then step two we're going to start by lowering the behavior. That means we're going to show our dog a treat. Put a treat right there at the dog's nose level, then slowly move the treat straight into their chest or under their chin. As you move the treat toward them, they'll naturally step backwards to follow it. The moment they take a step back, mark it, say yes, click and immediately reward. And then start building repetitions. At first we're going to reward every single step backwards. The more you reward small movements, the more confident and deliberate your dog will become. But then gradually just reward every two steps and then every three steps. But take your time and don't rush it, but slowly start spacing out the reward treats. And then, step four, add a verbal cue. Once your dog is backing up pretty consistently when you move your hand, it's time to give it a name. You can say back up. I think I use the word back with a hand signal to sort of show him which direction I want him to move in. And then you need to practice in different locations. If the only place you practice is in your living room, that's the only place your dog is going to listen to the backup cue. So be sure to practice in the living room, in the kitchen, in the backyard, on walks at a friend's house. The more locations and situations you can practice the backup cue, the better.
Speaker 1:Now here are some common mistakes that you want to avoid Moving too fast. If you try to rush your dog, try to teach him to back up quicker than he can learn. You're going to get frustrated. He's going to get frustrated. We're just going to suck the fun out of training. So go slowly and reward generously. We want to keep him happy and in the game.
Speaker 1:Try not to use your hands to physically push him or get too close to his face where it might bother him. My backup hand signal is more me whisking my hand like a broom in the direction I want him to move. And also make sure that we're not training, at least initially, in a space that is too open. It's much harder for your dog to figure it out if they can easily swerve or spin. So use a narrow space to your advantage and so that naturally encourages your dog to back up. Teaching your dog to back up isn't just fun. It builds trust, body control and gives you another great tool for real life situations. So take it slow, celebrate the little victories and pretty soon you'll have a dog that can confidently back up on cue like a pro.