# "Tightening up" a wrap finish?



## SwimDog (Sep 28, 2014)

Placement of reward and hind end awareness.

Training pivoting (I forget what others on this list call it... youtube search "clicker train dog to pivot" for a visual representation/tutorial)...even though that skill is more about left finishes, the dogs are learning about moving the hind end independently from the front and some of that is needed for good right finishes. The piece is placement of reward. Probably will want to use the left hand and deliver the reward so your dog's head is turning out (feed him on a line parallel to your body or slightly out. Not on 'your' side of the line). In other words, we don't want your dog turning into you when he is near heel position.

That's probably not the greatest description....


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

** When a dog sits out like you suggest, to me it is one of two things. Dogs who have been always rewarded from the trainers mouth are looking up at their owner's head for the reward. This means they either lean their head and upper body out so they can see their owner's face.... or they sit out slightly. The other thing that causes the dogs sitting out is it's just laziness on the dog's part. 

If it's the first one, you need to make the rewards come closer to their heads - or make them anticipate the reward coming from that space. If it's the second one, then you need to find a way to make this game fun again + motivate them to work harder.

Start by creating a target for the heel position. Make the target be at your hip as opposed to up by your shoulder as in this video... I suspect the reason why they were using the shoulder here is because the dog in training was a newfie. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgq8ev5asx8

Work scoot sits too. Because if your dog is sitting out away from you, it's not just the finish, it's the dog not understanding heel position. And again stick a thumb in your belt loop or pocket and treat your dog right at your hip. 

I assume you are looking to do comp obedience, so work on getting eye contact and focus and maintain that. It's not just about making sure your dog isn't distracted by stuff outside the ring. It's also maintaining a connection with your dog every step of the way. So when he sits in heel position, I'd expect my dog to be looking up at me.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Don't know if it's an outmoded technique but I was taught to practice finishes in the kitchen standing next to the cabinets so you can limit the amount of space the dog has when it comes around. You can practice left side finishes that way also. You can make good progress doing a few of those every morning.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Do a test: put your left arm up like you would when you are heeling, and see if your dog comes in closer.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Practice next to a wall on your left. Send her around and right before she gets in heel position you take a step to the right. She needs to follow you on that step.


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