Back casting in either direction

Discussion in 'Labrador Training' started by snowbunny, Mar 16, 2016.

  1. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    I've only done a tiny bit of back casting to date, and haven't been bothered about which shoulder they turned on, but it's on my list of things to address, so was wondering if anyone could give me a brief heads-up on how to teach the dog to turn each way. I've (briefly) tried to have the dog off-centre before I cast, but, especially for Shadow, he'll always turn the same way. I've only used a smallish angle - I'm sure that if I had him facing perpendicular to the direction he was going to run he's turn the correct way, but I'm concerned this would be a bad precedent for getting good lines later on.

    Any advice/articles/videos you could recommend?

    I believe it's described in the Grade 3 book from the Gundog Club, but I only have 1 and 2 at the moment!
     
  2. Karen

    Karen Registered Users

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    I never actually trained this Fiona, and only suddenly noticed that Poppy had learned it of her own accord... But if I were going to train it, I would do it by always placing the dummy a little to the left of center (from your perspective) when sending Shadow with a left-back cast (over his right shoulder); and the same for the other side.
     
  3. heidrun

    heidrun Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    I start teaching it by having the dog sitting closely up against a fence. Have you got something like a retrieving alley or a fenced in path?
     
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  4. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Nothing specific like that, but I have places where I could use a fence line. I support using a close target pole would be a good start with the fence, and gradually move away from the fence and with the target pole farther away, before introducing a dummy, so I can capture the turn rather than it getting lost in the whole sequence.
     
  5. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    I would put the dummy in a straight line behind the dog, but slightly more to the side I wanted to send him from. So if the dummy is slightly to my left, I would move one pace to the left and then use my left arm for a 'go back".
     
  6. FoxyLady

    FoxyLady Registered Users

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    I also start really close up to my dog to begin with - if they know spin and twist (or whatever you call them) you could perhaps do some first in the direction that you are then going to train
     
  7. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    I haven't taught any spinning. I had considered it as a technique to lead in, but I think I'll approach as above first and see how we get on :)
     

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