So Luna "knows" front from using it for recall in her previous training classes, meaning when I recall her she is to sit front and center at my feet. My concern here is that she isn't tight enough to my body and I notice that she has a tendency to crab when she sits. I'm just wondering for a dog of her size, how close to me she needs to get. I tried working this in the chair, she won't come into my space. It seems like without using the command, the only way I can get her close enough is if we hustle.
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She does look closer!
It stills looks like your hand raising is sending her backwards, though. I was actually saying I do want her to snarf and nibble so that her mouth is touching your hand until her butt hits the ground. This will keep her closer to you.
I also don't want you to step forward into her, at all.
I made a video for you. ☺️ I figured Zoey would try to sit far at first, and I was right, woohoo! Hopefully this helps demonstrate what I'm talking about:
See if this is any better. I think it is, she still feels far but definitely closer without her nibbling. I’m also re-training myself on marking then pausing and rewarding.
So, you can get away with that distance in an AKC Rally trial, but I would like to see if we can get her in a little closer.
I realize now that saying "lure" is a little misleading, because it can mean a direct or indirect lure. I want to see if you can actually do more of a direct lure into the sit, meaning she stays in contact with the treat the whole time. So, instead of the treat going upward away from her or her moving back from the treat to sit, she is either snarfing or nibbling (staying in contact in some way) your hand the whole time. If the head does not move back, the dog stays close.
I can give you more tips, but I want to see what she does with this first.
She's not actually rocking back *that* much - some dogs really get far away when they sit!
Let me know if this doesn't make sense!
See if this is a better view for front work. I can take some videos in the yard today if not. It’s hard to tell with all the sun glare from the back windows.
Can you take another video where you are moving parallel with the camera? (Oh gosh does that even make sense?) It's hard for me to see how much she is rocking back and how close she is to you for most of these reps.
What will she do if you let her nibble the treat from your hand before she sits? Or what if you mark & reward for her coming in close, let her nibble nibble, and actually lure her into that sit? In my video examples with Cupid, I am doing that for at least some reps. You can also see me demonstrate wiggly fingers (lol).