Please share with me your ideas on training the "Flip" Finish for competion Schutzhund. Thanks!

I'm not completely finished, nor do I do competition but....I always liked the flip finish and am currently teaching my new Mali this. Heres how I am doing it. Forgive me if its different from anything else you've heard as no-one taught me, I winged it.

I've got the dog at a close heel/sit position. I keep the lead short and then, using a toy for focus, make 90 degree counterclockwise turns while simultaneously pulling straight back on the lead. The dog(7 months old) learned in short order to move his butt to stay with me. Once he has this down I put him at a sit stay and step back. Again, I use the toy for focus and tell the dog "here". When the dog gets in front of me I give a sit/stay command.

Once the dog is solid on these things I put him at a sit stay again and step back. Now when I call him, just as he gets in front of me I take the toy and make a quick gesture to the left to get the dog on that side AND I take a short step forward while giving the heel command. His prior training should bring his butt around and as soon as he is in position I give a sit/stay command again. If he is where I want him then he gets paid immediately.

Do this until you no longer have to take the step forward. So far its working for me. I'm sure theres an easier way and someone will enlighten me, and you.

Howard

this makes sense to me. i always think of a vid i saw of an APBT doing a flip finish where he/she actually jumped vertically about 2' into the air WHILE flpping, to end in a beautiful sit at heel. awesome! and i'm thinking it was posted on this board...

AAR, i can't contibute to how to train it, but i wish i could get one like that APBT!

OK, This evening I got a good result. My dog will now do the flip finish and it took only a half dozen drills of the final stage I described above. I am super pleased with this as it is a first for me. As a PSD handler we always had the dog come around from behind to heel. Gotta love a dog with tons of toy drive. Overall it was pretty painless.

Howard