In part one of this series on dog walking skills we discussed the cues your dog needs to handle all types of other trail users while you are out and about on your adventures together. We talked all about Pull over, how to use it, how to teach it, and what to combine it with to make letting people, dogs, horses, bikes, and more pass with no fuss and no stress. Some dogs aren’t ready for that though! Some distractions are too great, stressful, or exciting to deal with. Sometimes we don’t want to worry about things and need to get out of the situation. That’s where the U-Turn comes in!
The Emergency U-Turn is your dog’s cue to turn 180 degrees and get out of there. Think Monty Python and the Holy Grail when they are faced with an indomitable foe. ‘Run Awaaaayyy!’ Something we want you all to know is that avoiding a situation your dog isn’t ready for or you don’t want to deal with is always an option that you should keep open. It’s a management tool as useful as a baby gate or a leash. Avoid the situation today and come back to train another day!
A well-trained U-Turn looks like this:
You say your cue with excitement (We say ‘Let’s Go!’)
Your dog spins on a dime, turning in the complete opposite direction.
You reward them with lots of praise and a delicious treat.
The two of you head in the direction that you feel is the most safe.
Putting this action on cue and practicing it regularly prevents things like
Suspicion from your dog (‘Wait, what are we turning away from?)
Your dog ignoring you and continuing to bring you both towards what you are trying to avoid
Your cue not cutting through to your dog if there are distractions around.
You stumble over your cue or not remembering it at all when you are in a stressful situation.
Now you might be thinking ‘But my dog already has a pretty solid recall. Why should I train this cue as well?’ Well, first of all, congrats on your dog’s recall! A solid recall takes time and dedication and it can open up your dog’s world and help to keep them safe. If your dog needs help with their recall, check out this blog! Though the two cues both are designed to grab your dog’s attention and turn them away from something we don’t want them exploring, the U-Turn cue has some important differences from the traditional recall.
Recall brings your dog to you and asks them to stop when they get there.
U-Turn means we are going to keep moving in this direction.
Recall can often mean multiple different things, Eg. come inside, we are walking this way now, come here so I can put your leash on, etc.
U-turn means one thing: Change direction and follow me!
When and how you use your U-Turn is important though!
You don’t want to wait too long and let your dog get too close. Every dog has their threshold. The point where they are too distracted, overstimulated, or worried to respond in a rational way. Check out our video on threshold here. We can always work on strengthening your dog’s threshold but for now, it’s important to know where they are able to listen.
Your U-Turn can be used to increase space or just get out of there altogether. If you are trying to use other training games to work on your dog's reactivity, prey drive, or greeting behaviors, you can use U-Turn to just get a little bit of extra space. Sometimes all we need is a couple of feet! As we stated before, you can also use your U-Turn to completely get out of that situation if needed.
You should use this cue for training more than you use it to increase distance or get away. Our dogs can very quickly get suspicious when we suddenly change directions. We can easily inadvertently teach them that their U-Turn cue means that something scary is headed this way! Avoid this by practicing a couple of times during your walks just for fun once they know it.
Reward heavily whenever you can! Simple enough. If they think their U-Turn cue is delicious, they will be more likely to respond!
Emergency U-Turn is a super helpful tool to have in your back pocket. Just like Pull Over from last week, this cue is helpful for nervous dogs, reactive dogs, over-exuberant greeters and this one has the added benefit of being great for dogs who struggle with their prey drive!
If you want to learn more about Emergency U-Turns and receive our complete training tutorial and lesson plans you can get it for free here. You’ll get the lessons and videos delivered right to your inbox. So get started and teach your emergency U-turn today! What will your cue be? Tell us in the comments below.
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