Orbiting
Recall is like gravity. Attracting a large, fast object at the right angle has beautiful, life-changing results while attracting a large object at the wrong angle can cause disaster or make the object float away.
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Before reading this, it is recommended that you look at the training resource to help with recall, as it has the foundation skills needed.
What:
Orbiting is an exercise that helps dogs that recall and don't stop in time, resulting in a crash or dogs that come close but then shoot past the handler and run away again.
Why:
- It teaches dogs not to crash into you or to orbit you and run away.
- It helps slow the dogs down when they come in running at high speeds.
- It teaches over-excited dogs to stop at the end of a recall behavioural change.
How:
- Start in a quiet, open space, and call the dog to you using your recall command.
- Hold the food or lure out at your side as a target as the dog runs to you.
- When they are a few inches away from the target, use the food as a lure to get them to spin 360° in a circle around you. Then, throw the food in the direction that the dog came from.
- Do this slowly at first so they understand the movement, then slowly increase speed.
- Once the dog can do this easily, start randomising the direction you throw the food. This will get the dog to slow down and watch where you are going to throw it. (If your dog comes in fast and has a lot of energy, spin a couple of times to slow it down.)
- Once the dog is approaching you, circling you, slowing down, and watching to determine the direction the food is going, Ask it to stop for a split second at your side, mark it, and then reward it by throwing the food.
- Now, as the dog learns to circle your body and stop by your side, clip and unclip a leash from its collar or harness. Then, mark and throw the food.
- As the dog gets comfortable stopping by your side and having the leash clipped or unclipped, start holding the leash and walking/running towards the location of the food or back in the direction from which it came.
