How do you teach them this???

[my2rotties]

I was watching some dog related competitions on TV awhile ago. There were dogs that were sitting facing their owners, and when they were told to "heel", the dog literally jumped in the air, spun around (still air bourne), and ended up planted neatly at the owner's left side. How in the heck do you teach them that? I really want to teach this to my girl, and would like to know the easiest way to show her how to do it.

It looked way too cool.

[Orville Story]

This is a multi part finish.

Using food in my left hand I teach my dog to jump up and take the food. After my dog learns to jump up for the food which is inbetween my fingers. I start to step backwards with my left foot as I give the command. Soon the dogs learns to jump past me on my left side. Then I work on the dog comming back into heel position. So now the dog has learned to Jump past me and come back into heel position. Now I stop stepping backwards with my left side. And the dog's natural instict is to flip into heel position. Also I do an exercise seperately where I spin backwards in 1/8th turns on my left foot teaching the dog to back into heel position. The helps the dog to understand where heel position is. This takes alot of time but as you say it is a fantastic finish and the dogs love doing it.

[Michael C.]

Orville, I see dogs that just swivel there rear end around to get in the heel position. Is that the correct way. Our girl, when sitting in front of me, will walk about 1 step behind me and turn around and walk 1 step back to my side and sit. I am fine with this, but was just curious if there is a right and wrong way to get into position?

Mike

[Orville Story]

Basicaly there are three different ways in which a dog can do a finish.

1. To go around the handler ending up on the left side.

2. To go straight to the left side and turn into heel position.

3. To do what we call a Military Finish and flip to the left side into heel position.

All three are correct. While the Military finish is more flashy it could cost you points if the dog bumps you when doing it. That would be up to the Judge to deduct or not to deduct points. The main focus of any finish is that the dog does it quickly, and that he ends up square in the correct position.

I teach my dogs all three. I don't want them guessing to which command that I am going to give. So they must wait while sitting at the Front position.

[MEDIC]

Max does the around the back to finish.Orville showed us one day it took him no time to catch on.I want to teach Cheyenne to do the Military Finish.I have seen Orville's dogs do it very COOL.

[LisaS]

My St. Bernand already knew the "circle around the back" finish, and I was trying to teach her a "sweep" - that is pass on my left, turn around back up to heel. She decided **on her own** to do a "flip" finish (what this thread is calling Military Finish) --- but she didn't have good aim and I wasn't expecting the flying St. Bernard - so down we all went in a heap http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif SO - beware what you ask for - you might get it and more !