Im taking Ollie my rott x collie to obedience training and to go left is back but my parents keep saying back! back! when they want him to move. So now when i say back his bums at the other end of the lead. How can i re-train him to step back and round my body when i say back. Im finding it really hard to get him to do it because my parents dont get out the habit of saying back to him no matter how many times i tell them there trashing my training. Any ideas anyone.

Pick any word you are not already using as a command. That's the short answer! For a longer answer, don't loose sight of the fact that you are working towards no commands. Body language, consistent actions are what's needed and with that a verbal command should be unnecessary.

Regards, John

Use a different word for your obedience class. It doesn't have to be the word 'back'.  You could use 'left' or 'turn' it really won't matter to your dog.

parents whod have em!!!
mine are the same with my three!

i use "close" for left

retrain it on the spot,on the lead to guide him,step back with your left leg,say "whatever",play/breakoff/feed when he does it.
then try just turning you left foot out abit (keep your heels together),& do as above

My agility command for turn left is "back", turn right is "close",
When I want them to move backwards I say "move back"
In obedience is heelwork command is "close"
And when he was working pre begs - novice, his turn left command was "bum"
I must be a very confusing mummy! But he doesn't get confused, he's great at his agility commands, but if I say move back he knows hes walking back, not turning left!!
Char

It is quite an old fashioned training method that uses 'back' for left turns. Nowadays people just turn and the dog, if trained properly, should turn with you. If you train a left turn command, what are you going to do in 'A' when you can't talk to your dog? My dog is trained to follow my left leg wherever it may go, forward, backward, left and right, and no command is needed.

When I first started obedience training I was paranoid about what everyone else said to my dog too, but when you train your dog you develop a bond with it and they don't really pay too much attention to anyone else. I use settle instead of down in the house. My dogs have been trained 'down' means hit the floor quick, like in sendaway. But if someone else says down, they know what they mean and go and settle, yet if I say it, they hit the deck! It's the same with DC. Other people mess about with it, get it all wrong, but my dogs know when I do it with them, it's serious and they do it properly.

As long as your basic training is consistant and clear, your dog will work for you as you have taught them. Also, remember dogs go a lot on body language, much more than commands. Your parents may say 'back', but they are showing no other signs of heelwork. You can try this out by going into your 'heelwork walk' without saying anything. If your dog comes into heelwork voluntarily, you know he understands your body posture because it is consistant.

Just relax and enjoy your training. Dogs are more intelligent than we give them credit for. Your parents may not understand, you may be panicking, but I bet your dog knows exactly what's going on! ;-)

Hope this helps,

Claire