# Teaching pivots



## Summer's Mom (Oct 20, 2010)

*pivot box*






Here's a video on the pivot box.. You may like to try it!! Working on it with Summer now, making slow progress.. 

Good luck!!!

P.S. Thanks RedDogs for the video link!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

You can try the pivot box method. I hope somebody else chips in with an explanation on how to do that, because my dog thinks I'm nuts when I tried the beginning stages (step up/touch). <- HEEE! It took me so long to post that I see someone already chipped in. Thank goodness<:

The way I taught him how to do it -

1. Put the leash behind you, it needs to be tight enough so your dogs shoulder/head are touching your left leg. 

For the next step, my teacher had me physically tucking my dog's hip into heel position when we turn left. This did not work well with my guy who flipped out about too much manhandling. It worked better having a treat in my left hand to hold his attention as we turn left. 

2. When you are ready, tell your dog "get it in" or "heel" and make a quarter turn left. Imagine a backwards L shape. You are locking your left heel to the floor and turning/pivoting to the left. 

As you turn into your dog and tug a little on the leash, your dog will/should turn with you. Instantly praise the movement even if you don't automatically get the sit. 

And expect sloppiness at first. 

For Jacks, because I wasn't reaching over him and tucking his butt into place, he had a habit of trying to face me for the treat. To fix I just held my hand at my hip bone and giving him the "heel picture" and just practicing until finally it clicked. And by now I can do sideways step rights with him using the same "get it in" word. He knows to tuck his butt. 

Pivot right - I just held the treat at my hip bone, made an L with my feet and pivoted on my right heel. 

Either way, it's a little easier if you remember L for pivot right and backwards-L for pivot left.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

I've been doing something that is probably similar to the above video. Google Janice Gunn Heeling on the Pot. We've been doing it for a while now. Gibbs was really young, maybe 4 months when we started. He caught on quickly. I put a word with it "get in" to get him to get closer to me when we pivot.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Like others have said, any exercise where the front legs are elevated and the dog has to side-step with the rear. Accept a single, tiny step with just one foot at first and work up from there.


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## New Golden Mom (Dec 17, 2008)

Thank you so much everyone! That video is awesome!! I want to do Freestyle with Rufus later on down the road and as she says at the end, the possibilities are endless once we learn how to pivot. Thanks again, all!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Another thing that helps is helping to "teach" a dog to use it's rear. Try backwards heeling against a fence or wall. It is great for teaching them they have a rear and will help with the left/back pivot.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Also "spins". Spin left and spin right.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

That pivot box thing is THE best exercise I've found for getting good left pivots. It's seriously worth the time. The more dogs you teach the behavior, the easier it gets.


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## New Golden Mom (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks for the input guys. Rufus does spins both ways and he can back up too...it's just the darned pivots that I have trouble with! The pivot box is definitely working though..slowly but surely. I love the variations she does at the end of that video...it looks like so much fun! I know it's just a matter of time and practice and we'll be doing those things! Thanks again.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Also hold your leash behind your back to bind him into heel position as you pivot.


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