For a demo on an agriculture show we were asked to make the exercises attractive for the public (many were no "dog" people) so I did the free heeling in a "dance like" way with Fils
My boy never was trained in flashy heeling like IPO but I really liked the focus and concentration he showed with hardly any training
You won't believe it but the video was taped the third time he was doing it. He did it almost automatically.
I have to admit however that he wasn't a "complete newbee" as it was built on the small techniques I teach him for his ring training
I always teach my dogs to go backwards with me when I do it. Also the circling around my legs and the backwards walking in front of me while focusing on me are small thing I teach them to do on a (hidden ) command. They come in handy for the defence of master exercise, when the dog has to "warn" me that someone is following.
Fils also is a dog with enormous focus on his handler.
It doesn't really take that long. Yentos knows the same steps as Fils. Backward walking came indeed from Ring training, he also makes pirouttes in both directions, high fives, etc.
However he doesn't circle around my legs but he walks through my legs while I am walking.
Martine how long did the entire demonstration take? And how long did you need to prepare?
I now have the prepare a fancy demonstration for the show in Antwerp together with my other collegues of the competition group.
Saskia
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He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
But my dog isn't exactly ladylike, nor am I in army overall & rubber boots....
In fact my husband said the same thing so I "refined" the performance a little afterwards (unfortunately I don't have the final result on tape.
I added some other things like "me stepping backwards and Fils in front of me, crawling on his belly like an indian" and keeping track with the music. This also looked real nice. I also made him circle, but in stead of making the full circle, I made him come between my legs and keep walking there while looking up at me (as if I was riding a horse) forwards and backwards.
I was a nice intermezzo to ring training
@ Saskia
We had to to a 1 hour demo, but we had 4 dogs with us and the exercises mainly consisted of ring bitework made attractive to people who don't know the sport. Special scenarios with adapted music. It was really fun and the dogs enjoyed it very much too!
Author
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Looks great! How long did it take to teach him?
