It is common for our dogs to forget they have rear legs and feet. They seemingly just drag along as the dog goes from Point A to Point B. This, however, can be problematic if you are interested in doing certain dog sports, such as agility. In this 4-week course, we will help the dog have a better understanding of just where those rear feet really are.

Course Details

In agility there are certain obstacles, such as A-frames, dog walks and teeters, that have contact points the dog must touch in order to successfully complete the obstacle. This requirement is based on keeping everything safe. If a dog were to launch off too early from any of these obstacles, it could result in a serious injury!

A common way people will teach these "contacts" is by having the dog learn to target the area with their rear feet.

In this course, we will build off of this concept so your dog will learn to target their rear feet in a number of different scenarios and situations, by using shaping and proper reward placement.

Not only could you use this final behavior in agility, it could also be helpful in canine parkour and even everyday life such as asking the dog to target a certain area in a impromptu stay. The applications are only limited by your imagination.

Should You Take This Course

Are you interested in getting involved in agility? You will definitely your dog to have an idea of what they are doing with their rear feet, especially when doing the contact obstacles (A-frame, dog walk and teeter). 

Is your dog clumsy? Teaching your dog to be more aware of their rear feet, as opposed to just dragging them around, can help them in gaining for body awareness.

What You Need for This Course

• your dog

• flat or martingale collar

• back-clip harness (optional)

• 6'-8' leash

• box that is the length of your dog

• LOTS of high-value and smelly treats

Course Outline

• Rear Feet...What Rear Feet?

• Importance of Proper Marking and Rewarding

• Generalizing the Behavior

• Making it Fun!

• Weave It Into Other Training