Chapter 5
🐾 Bring the two parts together
Once the Stand works well from the sideways movement, we can start combining the two things we have trained separately:
the execution of the Stand and the standing stay.
The next step is to move from the side position into walking backwards.
🚶 Walk backwards at the same pace
Start walking backwards with your dog.
Keep the pace just as slow and controlled as before.
Then use the familiar sequence:
➡️ Say “S”
➡️ The dog makes the small hop
➡️ Say “T”
➡️ Guide into the Stand
➡️ Close the hand
➡️ The dog remains standing
➡️ Reward
✋ Adjust your hand position
You may notice that helping with the arm is a little more difficult now than during the sideways movement.
That is completely normal.
Try to find a hand and arm position that still allows you to guide the dog clearly without making the movement awkward.
🐢 Do not speed up yet
A very common mistake is increasing the pace too quickly just because the dog is now walking backwards.
Keep the same tempo you used during the side stepping.
💡 The goal is not speed yet.
The goal is that the dog can perform the same clean sequence from backward movement without losing the quality of the Stand.
Once that works reliably, you can gradually increase the pace step by step.