Backing, from beside, in front of, or at almost any other position
relative to the handler, is a required move on the part of the
dog in CFF-style 
freestyle at levels III and IV and should be
a maneuver a freestyle dog at any level should know. Through
its execution and duration, good backing can showcase the technical
skills, athleticism and precison of the dog. Creative placement
of backsteps in the ring space and to the music emphasizes the
beat of the music, and adds texture and directional changes to
enhance the artistry of the routine. For some dogs (including
my sometimes distracted Cajun), switching from forward or in-place
movements to backing up, particularly from front position, is
a way to immediately grab his attention. Backing up can be not
only an interesting way to transition into changes of directions
or movement but can also add moments to collect one's (and one's
dog's) breath. It should be an integral part of each performance
but if not taught correctly, and with sensitivity to the dog's
conditioning, could result in a cramped, crooked and/or painful
activity for the dog.
So, how to teach? Let me start our discussion by describing
how Ann Fox Melchior, an obedience instructor colleague, presents
trick training to basic obedience class students. She asks them
to tell her the difference between training good "manners" or
obedience commands and training tricks. Most students ponder
and give variations of "tricks are more for fun," "you
don't have to wean off food for trick training," "audiences
are more impressed by tricks": thoughtful responses but
not quite on the mark. The answer to the difference between obedience
and trick training is, of course: "nothing"! Training
is training, no matter what the end product or how the audience
perceives it. With that in mind, Ann then briefly outlines some
learning theory and gives the class the assignment to present
in four weeks' time a trick each has taught her dog, at home,
based on classwork and principles of learning. During Ann's own
presentation of tricks, she discusses how one of the best ways
to choose a trick to train is to observe your dog, discover an
action the dog offers on its own, and put a name to it! Serendipity!
Cause or wait for the behavior to happen, reward and name it,
and chances are, the dog will repeat it. It is far easier, she
advises, to perfect a trick based on behavior the dog already
offers, than to start from scratch and train an action perhaps
foreign to your dog's personality and repertoire.
In keeping with Ann's good advice and with teaching backsteps
as a goal, watch your dog to see when it backs on its own. When
your dog is watching and wanting to play, try picking up an object
to throw and see if your dog backs up at all, in anticipation
of the throw. Crouch and pretend to stalk your dog head-on, if
this doesn't make him uncomfortable. He may back up. The fastest
and easiest way I have taught all my dogs and most of my students'
dogs to back from in front is to pick up the (hungry) dog's filled
food bowl and walk a step or two toward the dog. Invariably,
and maybe in addition to a few leaps and spins (name them, too!)
and drool, the dog takes a step or two backwards to keep its
gaze locked on the progress of the upheld food bowl. As soon
as a backstep occurs, I mark and and name it with a "yes!
Good BACK!" and then reward the dog with the meal. Don't
aim for numerous steps or chances are the dog will veer from
one side to the other or offer something else after backing.
Reward small increments and only gradually ask for more.
If your dog seems never to back, or at least not when you can
catch him, try placing him between a large piece of furniture
(bed, sofa, etc.) and a wall. Position him so he is facing you
with his hind end pointed toward the only way out. Slowly walk
toward him, perhaps with food closed in your hand at his head
level, and urge him to back out. If he smells the food in your
hand but can't immediately get it, you will keep his head and
focus at a level to prevent jumping up or on the bed, but he
will be gently forced to find his way backwards, as long as you
have made the channel narrow enough to prevent his turning around
to escape. Again, reward AS SOON AS you get even one small step
back. Sometimes, I actually place the morsel of food against
the dog's teeth while gently walking into him, so that he is
forced to back up to give himself space to free his teeth and
grasp the food. (If your dog continually sits, even before you
can get the the food in position near his mouth, YOU back up
a few steps to get him up and moving toward you and then suddenly
lower the food to his mouth or even his chest and try to surprise
him into a backstep.) Once you get a reliable straight response
with a few steps, gradually ask for more and more steps but quit
before the dog goes crooked. At this point, I can't urge enough
(although by now you may think so) to proceed slowly--not only
for accurate results--but to insure that the dog does not incur
discomfort from too much backing, before he is conditioned to
it.
Once your dog is backing reliably from the front position you
can vary it by starting the dog at an angled front, perpendicular
to your body, at a distant front, or as you also back away. The
training is the same: you have the action (backing) on verbal
and perhaps hand cue, you reward when the dog is actually performing
the move, you up the requirements (more steps, more distance
away, etc.) before rewarding, etc. You might also try adding
a spin, drop, or sit--or even just a pause--between backsteps
for drama, punctuation, or interest. In my newest routine, I
am experimenting with backs and comefores to reflect a recurring "backward
and forward" phrase in my music. Backs can be graceful and
flowing, or (particularly in the case of long-backed, short-legged
dogs like corgis and dachshunds) bouncy and staccato-like punctuation
marks. Both types, performed well, are eye-catching additions
to any routine.
Backing in heel (right or left) position seems to be harder
for many dogs than backing from in front. It is a maneuver not
required much even in advanced obedience training, except for
perhaps the turn preceding the send-out to gloves in utility.
Many advanced obedience dogs do know a "scoot-back," which
I chose to describe a dog scooting back on its rear end in a
sit to better achieve a straight sit or heel position. In freestyle,
there may be times you want a scoot-back, but the majority of
the time you will probably want a backing-at-heel in a standing
position.
To teach this, certainly reward and name it any time you catch
the dog doing it on his own, although this is far less likely
to occur naturally than is backing from in front. I have to confess,
that although I believe in giving every little move its own name
for clarity, I use some version of "back" or "get
back" for both front backs and side backs. The dog is doing
the same maneuver, just in different positions relative to my
body. (My dog has become so attuned to my body language, I'm
not certain how seriously he listens to what I SAY, anyway!)
Probably the easiest way to start teaching a back in the heel
position is to place the dog in heel position in a stand between
your body and an empty wall (such as in a hallway, against a
building, etc.), so that he is in a narrow channel. Assuming
he is in traditional (left) heel position, hold his buckle collar
with your left hand, place food in your right hand, and gently
press the food against his teeth at slightly LOWER than his head
level. Using your left leg as a gentle guide to keep him close
to the wall, step backward with the left leg, press with the
food and tug backward slightly on the collar, just enough to
get him to take one step back in response to the collar tug and
to create enough space between your hand and his mouth to enable
his taking the food. Work just for one backward step and reward.
Don't ask for long series of steps, because he will probably
try to swing away from the wall with his rear--not what you want
and the beginning of crooked backs! Slowly, as he gets the idea,
ask for more steps and occasionally tell him to heel and step
forward a few steps (still against the wall), to relieve any
muscle and/or brain stress. Again, if the dog continually tries
to sit, try holding the food lower or even against his chest,
so he HAS to back away to even locate the food.
Once the dog performs well in your "channel," try
it in heel position away from the wall, asking for only one or
two steps back in the beginning, to insure he is straight. A
command to mean "get your butt in, dog-gone it" is
a valuable tool in the transition from channel to just heel position.--one
I continually use in the performance of backing-at-heel even
more than the actual "back" command! I guarantee that
your dog will at some point start backing crookedly and a good "get
in!" at this point is well worth training. You can't say "no," because
crooked or not, the dog is still backing. Be proactive and supportive
and use your "get in" (or "get out," as the
case may be) command instead.
When your dog is performing well on one side of your body, it
is time for the dreaded switch to the other side of your body--usually
the weaker (in terms of training) side. I would advocate starting
over against the wall and progressing the same way as on the
original heeling side. I do use the same command to back, but
my command for being on that side (the right) is "side" versus "heel."
As I am a trainer from the Dark Ages in some respects, I am
still not handy with a clicker. I do know, however, that using
a clicker to train backs would probably speed up the process
considerably. Give it a try.
Backs are fun. Cajun loves to back. Perhaps too much. He backs
if I look at him from in front, if I hold a ball or treat and
say nothing, if I say "do something." If I am holding
his food bowl, he can back literally around the whole kitchen
table. I have to be extra careful in my handling of him in front
position, because of this, and now he is enthusiastically backing
and grinning (bowing and scraping?) if I pause during heeling
and glance at him, particularly if my gaze travels to his rear.
In a Belgian's mind, there is no such thing as "too much." I
guess if "too much" means extra spirit, enthusiasm,
and a willingness to please (thus eat), I can't have gone "too
much" too wrong.
Do take the time to train backs and train them slowly, allowing
the dog time to get his body conditioned to what may be a new
maneuver. Experiment with positioning and number of backsteps,
combinations with other movements, and use of backing as a reflection
of your music or as a transition between phrases of music and
movement. Your dog may come to enjoy it as much as mine does,
and it will become a valuable element in your routine.
