Heeling video 19 – Left Pivot
Handling & Teaching
Note in photo you can see Poe’s right rear leg behind me. GREAT REA at work!
HANDLER CUES: LEFT PIVOT FOOT WORK
When doing a Left Pivot:
- Shift your weight to your left leg, look left, and move your right foot perpendicular to your left foot.
- Your dog will learn that this shift indicates a left pivot/turn is going to begin.
- Step 1, move your right foot perpendicular to your left foot and place the ball of your right foot against your left toe (Similar to a T-step).
- Step 2, place your left heel against your right heel making sure to point your left foot in the direction that you will be going or sending your dog.
- Step 3, bring your right foot up against and even with your left foot.
Teaching the Left Pivot
- Have your dog on your left side. With your leash taut and hand low on the leash close to the snap hook with the palm of your hand flat on the front side of the leash. Leash Reining ….
- Small dog? Use a solid leash.
- To start the pivot, shift your weight to your left leg and rein leash.
- Reward your dog up to a treat or a toy that is under your left arm. Build desire!
- Make sure that your dog is looking up and always watching you when making the turn.
- Play and interact with your dog before trying the pivot again. This play takes pressure off your dog as well as builds desire in training.
- When training the Left Pivot, reward randomly on the different steps in the turn. I.e. move your first foot and reward, before completing the turn reward, and so on.
- Only add a sit to the pivot once your dog understands how to move on your weight shift and turn while keeping his head up and focused on you.
- Spend extra time working and rewarding the leash pressure skill before putting it into Pivots.
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