Circle or Spin
Prerequisites
Supplies You Need
Training Time
Instructor
Suzy
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Circle is a quick and fun activity that can be used as a part of your warm-up routine for a jog in the park or an agility training session.
Process
Start with your dog in front of you and in a standing position.
Place a treat in your right hand and put it in front of your dog’s nose.
Begin moving your hand around your dog’s body in a counter-clockwise movement. Keep your hand low and to the side of the dog.
Say Circle or other command while continuing to move your hand around the outside of your dog.
Give your dog a treat as they follow your hand and begin to turn around. Continue the movement with additional treats.
Now try it the other direction. We like to assign another command such as Spin or Back so your dog learns to distinguish the two different directions.
As your dog learns this command, tighten the the circle you make with your hand so it just goes over the dog’s back. Eventually your hand signal will be limited to a small circle in front of your dog with a verbal command.
Suggested Command Words:
| Circle | Spin | Rick | Round | Chase Your Tail |
| Twist | Whirl | Back | Turn | Where’s Your Tail? |
Tips
- If your dog sits down, they will automatically stand when you begin to lure them.
- Is your dog toy motivated? Try using a tennis ball or plush toy instead of treats.
- Make sure your warm-up routine includes circling in both directions so your dog stretches both sides.
- Remember to keep your training sessions short.