Back UpDog walks backwards away from you
Rear-end awareness in action. Most dogs have no idea where their back feet are. Backing up forces them to think about it. Use a narrow channel (wall and furniture) at first to keep the line straight.
Also known as: Back, Reverse
At a glance
- Tier
- 2 · Intermediate
- Time to fluency
- 2–5 weeks
- Practice
- 3× per week, 5 min each
- Equipment
- Small soft treats, A hallway or narrow channel for early practice
Prerequisites
Your dog should know these words first:
How to teach back up
Lure
Walk toward the standing dog to pressure them gently backward
- Step slowly toward the dog. Most will step back to keep their space
- Mark and reward even a single backward step
- Use a hallway or between furniture to keep the path straight
- Do not lean over them. Walk upright and slow
Hand Signal
Both palms facing the dog, pushing gently toward them
- The gesture mimics your body walking forward, but from a distance
- Stand still and use the gesture. The dog should back up without you stepping
- Add one step at a time: reward 1, then 2, then 3 backward steps
Verbal Cue
Name it once the dog backs up on the gesture reliably
- Say the word, pause, then gesture if needed
- Practise without the channel walls once the dog backs straight
- Use it to create distance when the dog is too close, like at the kitchen counter
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- Does not move backward or turns and walks away
- In progress
- Backs up 4+ steps on the word alone in a straight line
- Mastered
- Backs up on cue from any position, straight, in any environment
Common mistakes
- Walking into the dog too aggressively, which makes them spin instead of back up
- Not using a channel, so the dog curves sideways instead of straight back
- Asking for too many steps before one is reliable
- Rewarding while still walking forward, so the dog does not back up. They wait