Chapter 5
🐾 Start transitioning toward forward movement
Now we want to gradually move from walking backwards into walking forwards.
Instead of turning around completely at once, we build the change step by step so the picture stays familiar for the dog.
➡️ First turn into the sideways position
Start by rotating slightly toward your dog until you are moving more sideways.
This is a good intermediate step because the dog already knows the sideways picture from earlier training.
If your dog still needs the hand in front of the nose, you can keep using it for guidance for now.
If that help is no longer necessary, try to keep the movement as loose and natural as possible.
🗣️ Keep the cue sequence the same
The technical sequence does not change:
➡️ Give your announcer if you use one
➡️ Move with the dog
➡️ Say “S” first
➡️ Then use the hand aid
➡️ The dog makes the small hop
➡️ Say “T”
➡️ The dog comes into the Stand
➡️ Reward
🎯 Focus on technique, not distance
At this point, you do not need to add walking away after the Stand.
That is not the priority here.
The goal is simply to check whether the dog can still perform the same clean technique while your body position gradually changes.
💡 First make the turn easy and familiar. Once the Stand stays clean from the sideways position, you can continue turning further toward normal forward walking.