# Teaching front and finishes.



## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

For the rock back sits, there are a few things you can do. I've had an issue with both Marcus and Lula wanting to rock back. First, I'd do lots of move up sits and I'd sort of use an exaggerated rocking motion with your body to teach him to schooch as he sits. I do use a treat to help lure the schooch. Practice lots and lots and lots and lots of scooch sits/move up sits along a wall. Another thing you can do is use your left hand (leash in right hand) to help scoop his rear as he sits. You sort of lift up on the lead with the right hand and gently help scoop his rear in with your left hand. 

For come front - I just lure into front position by having a treat in my front hands and drawing my hands, held together, up the center of my body as I step back. If you're having trouble with him rocking back while in front position, you can do something similar as above with scooch sits. Try use your lure to get him to schooch forward when sitting front.

For the right finish, I also lure. Bring them in to front position. Have a treat in my right hand. I start by spending a few days just teaching them to jump up to the right and get the treat. Once I have them jumping easily up to take the treat from my right hand, I put a treat in both my right and left hand and have them follow my right hand behind me for a treat, and then lure with my left hand into heel position and then rewarded. I use the word "behind" for right finishes.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I have a couple of videos here about teaching fronts and finishes.

http://www.poodleforum.com/23-general-training-obedience/183265-teaching-fronts-finishes.html


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

There is more discussion of fronts and finishes here. I put a diagram of how to make a front and finish box in this thread.

http://www.poodleforum.com/23-general-training-obedience/180362-teaching-drop-recall-2.html


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Praising him for standing directly in front of you is pretty much the same as praising him for you standing in front of him. 

I used that trick with Spud. From a Heel on a one or two foot leash, I would stop, call Front, and as he wheeled on the leash, I would move quickly to be standing in the Front position... with a treat.

Spuddie was the most anxious-to-please dog I've ever had. He caught on pretty quick.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

In the past, Jazzie did a nice, straight "come" from a distance and could finish nicely to either side, but when I started teaching the "front" on leash, followed by either finish, for rally, she began to sitting crooked. I think she was trying to anticipate which side I was going to send her to. Two trainers told me they don't teach fronts/comes together with finishes to avoid that problem. I've stopped doing the fronts on leash for now. I'm calling her in from a sit-stay, then telling her to stay and walking around to heel position. For the finishes, she sits in the heel position and I pivot around in front of her, then have her finish. She's definitely improving.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

JudyD those are good descriptions about how to take those exercises apart to make sure the dog understands each part of the larger job that you want them to do when in the ring. Sometimes that does wonders for crooked fronts or out of position finishes.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

I think a large part of Jazz's problem was my fault. I don't handle the leash very well, so I was probably giving her conflicting cues as I tried to step backward, call her front, and get ready for the finish that was called for.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

With Lily I was very happy not to have a leash to deal with once we got to rally advanced. She was really ready for it too. Peeves is happier off leash too. Javelin is no where near ready, so it will be a while before we go to advanced.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I will look at those links this week.


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