Who is this trick for?
Walking backward is not only a great trick to mentally challenge your dog but also promotes body awareness and a general sense of the body by intentionally using their hind legs. Such an exercise gives your canine companion confidence and security. Since this trick is not particularly strenuous, any healthy dog can give it a try.
How do I teach my dog to walk backwards?
Create a calm training atmosphere. Go to a room where you can practice undisturbed. In your pocket, have some small training treats so you can positively reinforce your dog’s correct behavior. Using a clicker in combination with treats works even better. If you haven’t used the training tool before, start with conditioning so your dog understands what the click sound means. Click and immediately give your dog a treat. Repeat this until you are sure your dog understands: Click = Treat.
Step 1
Once the clicker is conditioned and the sound makes sense to your dog, proceed to the actual trick. Stand close to your dog and move a treat sideways behind your dog. As soon as your dog starts moving backward to reach the treat, click and reward him. Especially at the beginning, confirm the mere shifting of his body weight with a click so your dog understands what you want from him.
Step 2
Now refine this behavior. While in Step 1 you rewarded the shifting of body weight, now wait for the first paw to move. If a paw is lifted, click and reward it. Then wait until your dog’s paw moves backward, and he takes the first small step – this is also confirmed and rewarded, and you express visible joy for your dog. As this step becomes smoother, wait for him to move two paws backward and take two steps.
Step 3
Now you’ve reached a point where your dog takes one or two steps backward while following the treat. At this point, introduce a verbal cue. Just before moving the treat, say “Back” or “Reverse.” Continue with more repetitions until your dog confidently moves backward and associates the word signal with the corresponding behavior. Now pay attention to your hand signal. You can omit the treat but still perform the same motion as before, rewarding afterward. Gradually reduce the hand movement until you only need to make a subtle forward and backward motion with your index finger, and your dog can still associate it with the trick.
Tip:
If guiding with the treat doesn’t work well, you can take a step toward your dog and use your body to “point backward.” If he moves backward in response, click and reward the backward movement. In the further course, also phase out your body language, so you won’t have to take a step toward your dog in the long run.
Using the “Backward” signal, you can try great exercises for body awareness, such as practicing targeted use of hind legs with hind leg targets or donut cushions.
