BACKING

THE METHOD I'M USING

I use a clicker for this work. As with so much of clicker training, the very beginnings of a behaviour is a random movement, even an accident, on the llama's part. So it was with this. I wanted Oscar, with whom I was sharing a pen, to take a step back from me: I had no real means of telling him that. Yes, I could push him back and he would oblige, but this was a far cry from a voluntary step back, off-lead. I bided my time, keeping his interest with the grain he knew I had in my pocket. There was side-stepping, fidgetting etc but no definite step back. After a few minutes, with no luck I gave up and tried another day and then another, clicker in hand. This time my luck was in. After a few minutes, something disturbed him from behind me and he took a step back. I was ready! I clicked/rewarded the movement and we were on our way! It was awhile before he repeated the movement, but again I clicked it! I added the cue "Back Back" and the hand movement: a quiet clap-clap and worked on it. Gradually, over several sessions, Oscar associated the cue with the movement and the movement with the click.

 

HOW WE'RE DOING

The story so far: Oscar is backing well to cue, though I have given up trying to stop him putting his nose in the air as he does it! Toby has just begun to cotton on and will back two or three paces to verbal.

I have been working with Oscar a lot this past week. He backs well but seems determined to put his nose in the air as he does it. I call it "toffee nosed backing". The only problem is that he can only see the sky in this position and it is not surprising that he is unable to go back in a straight line. In response to verbal/hand command he is taking about six, off-lead paces now. I am increasingly using the backing as part of the combination routine...and trying to get the backing STRAIGHT !!