I love to compete in obedience. The trouble I am having is my girl is just too focused on me. I cannot walk around her to do the "return" in sit stay. She will spin to follow me. I have tried the treat at the nose. Still does not work. Baby steps yes but can only get half way. Put her in down stay. Still the same.

Any tips for my toll box much appreciated!

TIA

I am having the same problem and it is not one I have had before. I just started trying the following....I put a treat right in front of her nose and walk around her leaning over without giving her the treat until I make it all the way around. Treat is in my left hand as I walk around her counter clockwise. I also use the "wait" command at the same time. I am not sure how it will go in the longer term as we just started this technique the other day. I am hoping she just needs to get used to me taking the lap. I will probably replace the treat with the "wait open palm" and then wean her off of that.

I would love to hear more suggestions.

Others working on the "watch me" command while I am working "do not watch me" ;)

I like using the "wait" and flat palm. It does work for sit stay while I walk straight away.

Thanks!

Keep working on the stay and don't work on the finish for a while. Make that stay rock solid no matter what you do until you release her. Start easy - leave her and walk straight ahead and turn around to look at her just like the test. If she does that well, just go back to her and treat her, then release her. If she moves, just say "oops" or "uh oh" and start over from the same position. Mix it up - sometimes you release her, sometimes you go back out. Then add going out at a slight angle. Keep repeating at different angles until you can walk directly to your right without her moving. Then add in a few other distractions. Do some jumping jacks while she stays. Spin around. Stand on one foot. Talk on the phone. Make a sandwich. Walk back and forth in front of her while she stays. Add more and more time (have her stay while you have dinner - that's at least 20 minutes.) Then add in taking a step or two at a backward angle. Then all the way backward. Only when she stays no matter what you do should you try returning around behind her. Work up to that slowly also - start by walking a little bit past her when you return on either side, then back up and reward her. And you will be so much less nervous at the test when you know her stay is 100%!

Your girl does not understand the sit (that she should stay in the same position until released). She thinks that your movement releases her to move too. So you need to practice moving small amounts and rewarding when she stays put. At first only take one step, reward if she stays put, pay no attention to her if she
moves. Gradually introduce a variety of distracting movements on your part (do silly things) that should not cue her to leave her sit position. She should only move when you give her release word. Practice for short times and take lots of play breaks.

I agree, your dog does not understand sit/stay yet. Go even slower. While already in the front position (YOU position yourself there, do not ask the dog to get there),take a half step to one side or the other, raise a hand/finger, open your mouth, shift your shoulders.....just pause.....you are going too fast at this point.

I just got through this stage with 4 pups I'm training for other families. Put her in a stay and treat from the front. Make one step to the side, treat IN FRONT OF PUP's face while pup is facing correct way. Move back to front position. Again go slightly to side, treating IN FRONT, don't let treat lure pup to the side. Hold treat at pup's nose with pup facing correctly, have several treats in hand. Keep giving treats with pup facing correctly while you slowly work your way to the side, eventually work to the back (holding arm over her back with treat at her nose) and around. Constantly give treats while pup faces correctly, saying No gently when pup turns towards you. When pup turns, go back to front position and start over.

I have 4, 16 week old pups who don't move an inch as I now walk around. You can do it, just do not reward any turning! Also once you make it all the way around - HUGE high drive treat (chicken or liver) once you are around and in heel position.

After you have this down, put on leash. Give slight pressure to the front and treat if they stay even with leash pressure. Then slowly move to the side and even back with staying in perfect forward sit with leash pressure. Treat OFTEN. Of course, eventually you'll wean off treats.

I've found the above works with any dog. Learned the methods from a Golden Retriever owner/friend who puts CDX's on all of her dogs.

Agreed, the suggestions you have gotten about getting a solid sit are needed.

I do think however that dogs go into the position or find the position where they have been reinforced the most. ( IN front) and if you think about it that is what your dog is doing.. going to the reinforcement zone that has been established for eye contact, fronts and recalls.

Once you have your sit solid. I think you need to work on your dog learning to stay in that sit while you reward with dog in heel position and not in front. She/He needs to learn that treats come in that position too since in essence doing a finish is the dog going around you to find heel.

If you have not rewarded heel position from your left hand down to the dog enough why would the dog go there?
I start with having the dog sit on my Left next to a wall on the left side of the dog/ on leash. Then just do once step at a time so the dog is learning to come up to heel position and then sit in baby steps. By putting more money in the bank for that position the dog will learn to find it on their own.

The finish is a complex series of behaviors that includes the dog learning to find heel and then sit.

Best of luck with your training.
Kim.

How wonderful all the good /accurate advise that was given. And how dog was 'read' regarding 'watch' position. Everything is in step, by step progress which means success takes time.