K9 Soren working with student Kaled

So why do we talk about fitness and back end awareness so much??? Well first off its vital to working dogs to have a clear understanding of where exactly that “other half” of them is! From obedience to rubble work, to navigation in dense woods having hind end awareness is vital to these working K9’s…….and its fun!!!

We use a combination of shaping and luring to capture the behaviors we want. Using a secondary reinforcer called a clicker we are able to mark the exact times and behaviors we like and then reward. When the students learn that they can manipulate behavior with a clicker and food, they begin to see how the world manipulates their behavior with a lot of the same reinforcers!!!!!!!!!!

K9 Annecy working with student Ian

In these pictures you see the canines targeting the bucket with their front paws, this allows free movement of the hind end in a circular motion. They are taught to spin around both ways keeping both front paws on the “target” This is what gives them the awareness of the back end, while also reinforcing and teaching them to use their brain and “offer” behaviors to us!

K9 Soren helping student David learn how to lure

K9 Diva working with student Melissa

If you have any questions please let us know! Jennifer.Culver@allynwood.org

By: Jennifer Culver

Training Director