# Pivot Training



## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Summer's Mom showed me a great video demonstrating pivot training. But the video did not really show how to get your dog to stand on the pivot box. How do you train this? I was using a notebook, but it was too slick and Tucker's paws would slip off it, so I will have to use a small towel. Do I lure him over it and say "yes" and treat when his front paws are on the box? Should I have a command of some sort to ask him to stand on the box? This looks like a good way to get him more focused on my body for rally, and to improve his heeling. Any help would be appreciated!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Teach him "touch" -

Red Dogs (I think) posted a video before with somebody teaching the pivot using a pot. I'm searchinig for it...

Just tucking the leash behind me to teach "get it in" and rewarding the dog was turning with me (concentrating on my body language) was a lot easier than first teaching touch and then pivot. But other people here seem to have gotten great and fast results with the pot/pivot training.

I didn't find the original video, but I found this one - 





 
Here's the one I was thinking about -


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Tucker knows touch, but with his nose. We have worked a bit on targeting in past classes, so perhaps I will have to talk with our trainer and get a little refresher! Thanks for the links, I will check them out.


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

If you want a faster way to get him on the object, you can lure him on, and click for 2 paws on. 

If u want to shape the behaviour, leave the object out and click for any interaction with it (nose, paw, anything). Then narrow down to clicking only for paws. Then click for 1 paw on. Then 2. He will figure it out. Don't progress too fast because if its hard he will give up and you don't want that! On average you should be getting 10 clicks a minute, more is better.

The hardest part for Summer and I was also getting on the object. We took a long time, reinforcing the behaviour first for paws on a stair, paws on the sidewalk, paws on her bed, paws on a flat book and eventually we used paws on a squarish hard cover book. 

I would post a video but I'm averse to myself being on video on the internet so its kinda hard =(


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

if you start with a much larger object like a slightly raised 2'x2'x6" high box or even 3'x3'x6" high- you can quickly transition to a smaller box..

Lexi was really intimidated by a small 12" bowl...but when she realized that she wasn't going to be asked to get all four feet on the larger box...that she would get clicked for just two...then transitioning to a smaller object was easy.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

If you find your object slips around...these rubber feed pans are really handy. <thanks Rebeccah!>
Feeder Pan (4 qt) - 2171360 | Tractor Supply Company


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

And here is Celeste Meade


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

You will love the Celeste Meade "Brick Work" youtubes. I work with Jonah at least once a week on his brick and then again on the floor for a beautiful left turn or the figure 8.


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