In this video from KPA CTP Amber Quann, students demonstrate steps to teach the pivot behavior. To begin, teach your dog to put her front paws onto a raised flat, round object such as an overturned bowl or bucket. The object should be stable and not too high. When your dog is putting her front feet onto the object with confidence, move toward her slightly so that her back feet move away from you slightly. Click and reward for any back feet movement away from you. Once your dog is moving her back feet away from you consistently, you can increase your criteria to click for bigger movements and your dog is swinging into heel position.

Interested in more ideas for training critical sport skills? Check out Karen Pryor Academy’s Dog Sports Essentials course!