Working on fronts.. Help!

[rebelsgirl]

Hi there. I'm working with my dog Duke to get him ready for a rally trial next weekend. He is such a great dog, very driven, motivated, and does all his obedience well... except for one thing. His fronts.

If there are no distractions he does them pretty well. But in class he's been "getting in" instead of fronts. Outside yesterday during our practice at home he was too worried about the horses in the pasture behind us. If I move him away from the horses he's fine and will do his fronts without trying to 'get in'.

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep his attention on me? I'm afraid he will do this in the rally ring next weekend since there are dogs and people all around us! help!
Thank you!

[onyx'girl]

I don't do rally, but maybe you could take him somewhere where there are people around to proof him? A few sessions ending on a happy note may get him over the distractions.
Karlo tends to be the same way, he's always got one eye on what is going on behind or around him, instead of both on me, so he'll sit cockeyed. I went back to food in my mouth then rewarding with both hands going straight down. It helped him to come in straighter.

[Samba]

Practice front more than "get in". It sounds as though "get in" is his default behavior and it is what will come out under some stress. I am thinking it has been rewarded and practiced more than the front. Concentrate on fronts with high rate of reward. Where is he as to corrections for inattention?

[Franksmom]

I practiced with Frank by backing up and him following me in the front position, I would stop every 3 or 4 steps and when he sat, reward, the movement helped keep his attention on me.
I also started making him sit in the front position for all his treats and before I put his food dish down.
I stopped asking for the "get in" part until we had the front down.

[rebelsgirl]

Thank you all! This is what I'm going to focus on. He didn't know how to 'get in' when I first got him. So we just learned that and have practiced the devil out of it. That makes perfect sense. I will do everything now with 'front' to get a reward or meal.

What do you mean corrections for inattentiveness? Not sure if this is what you mean, but I say "UH OH try again.!" with no reward. And if he gets it right, he gets rewarded heavily.

Will be practicing a lot of fronts! If it doesn't heat up too much this weekend I'll take him down to the city park.

[rebelsgirl]

Thanks for y'all suggestions. It's working! He's getting better!

[dogmama]

If I'm going to be in a high distraction area, I make sure I have big-money treats on me. So hots dogs might become small pieces of ham or baked liver.

[ponyfarm]

What is the "get in"? Sorry, trying to learn!