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      Body Over

      How to teach your dog to body over

      Body Over

      Body Over

      Introduction

      The body over behavior is a great trick that is both impressive and fun to watch. It is a challenging behavior, but with patience and consistency, most dogs can learn it.

      Things you may need:

      • A frisbee
      • A PawHut Backyard Agility Set
      • Treats or toys for rewards

      Steps to Address

      Teaching Phase:

      • Set up an agility jump and raise the bar just high enough to clear your outstretched leg.
      • Place your dog on one side of the bar and yourself on the other, with one leg extended behind the bar.
      • Hold the frisbee over the bar and tell your dog to "jump".
      • If your dog jumps over the bar and catches the frisbee, mark and reward them.
      • Repeat the previous step as needed until your dog is jumping over you and your extended leg regularly.

      Reinforcing Phase:

      • Once your dog is jumping over you and your extended leg regularly, you can start to remove the agility jump.
      • Have your dog jump over you without the use of a jump bar.
      • If your dog jumps over you without the use of a jump bar, mark and reward them.
      • Repeat the previous step as needed until your dog is reliably jumping over you without the use of a jump bar.

      Proofing Phase:

      • Start practicing body over around other environments with more energy and distraction.
      • For example, you can try practicing in a room with other people or animals, or in a room with loud noises.
      • Start by adding one distraction at a time, and gradually increase the number of distractions as your dog gets better.

      Maintenance Phase:

      • Consistently practice body over in every obedience session, reinforcing variably over time upon completions. Apply corrections if the dog does not respond appropriately after one command.
      • This means rewarding your dog with treats or praise sometimes, but not always. This will help to keep your dog motivated and engaged in the training.
      • You can also start to add new distractions to the training so that your dog is able to generalize the behavior to new situations.

      Case Studies

      Here are a few case studies of dogs who have learned to body over:

      • Bailey: Bailey is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever who loves to learn new tricks. Her owner, Sarah, started teaching Bailey to body over when Bailey was 1 year old. With consistent training, Bailey was able to learn the behavior in a few weeks. Bailey now loves to body over for her friends and family, and she always gets a big reaction.
      • Charlie: Charlie is a 1-year-old Beagle who is very food motivated. His owner, John, wanted to teach Charlie to body over so they could play a game of "body over tag." John started by teaching Charlie to body over in a quiet room. Once Charlie was reliably body overing, John started to gradually add distractions, such as other people or animals. Charlie now loves to body over for John, and he always gets a treat for his efforts.

      Pet Parent Coaching Tips

      Here are a few pet parent coaching tips for teaching your dog to body over:

      • Be patient and consistent. It may take some time for your dog to learn this behavior.
      • Use positive reinforcement training. This means rewarding your dog with treats or praise when they do the behavior correctly.
      • Make the training fun. If your dog is having fun, they are more likely to be motivated to learn.
      • Don't punish your dog if they make a mistake. Just calmly redirect them back to the training.
      • Be sure to praise your dog when they do the behavior correctly. This will help them learn that the behavior is a good thing.

      Conclusion

      The body over behavior is a great trick that is both impressive and fun to watch. With patience and consistency, most dogs can learn it. With a little practice, your dog will be body overing like a pro in no time!

      Frequently Asked Questions

      • Q: What if my dog is scared of jumping over me?
        A: If your dog is scared of jumping over you, you can start by desensitizing them to you. Start by having your dog sit or lie down in front of you. Then, slowly reach down and touch their back. If your dog is not scared, you can gradually move your hand closer to their head. Once your dog is comfortable with you touching their head, you can start to gently lift them up. Once your dog is comfortable being lifted up, you can start to try to get them to jump over you.
      • Q: What if my dog doesn't understand the cue "over"?
        A: If your dog doesn't understand the cue "over," you can try saying the cue in a different way or using a different hand gesture. You can also try breaking the behavior down into smaller steps.
      • Q: What if my dog gets too excited and jumps over me without me saying the cue?
        A: If your dog gets too excited and jumps over you without you saying the cue, calmly redirect them back to the agility set and start over. You can also try using a verbal cue, such as "easy," to help your dog to relax.