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Back up

9 min read

Why backing up is hard for a dog

A dog can't see his own hindquarters: he can't rely on his eyes the way he does when moving forwards. That's why backing up in a straight line takes him a little time to build, step by step. There's also a habit to unlearn: since he was tiny, he has learnt to move towards the hand that rewards him. Backing up is the exact opposite. Which is why a trick that looks simple takes a bit of method.

Backing up comes more easily to a dog who already holds a steady stand, and who is off lead (or with the lead unclipped and left on the floor, so nothing holds him back as he moves). No gear needed: a well-timed "yes!" is enough to mark the step backwards.

Before the first session, set the scene: backing up works the hindquarters, exactly what slips on a slippery floor.

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The four stages of backing up

You change one thing at a time: only move on to the next stage once the previous one flows.

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  1. The corridor stops the dog from turning around: he gets his first steps backwards and gradually links the word to the movement.

    • Build a narrow corridor, barely wider than he is: the sofa on one side and the wall on the other, or a real hallway in your home.
    • No suitable nook at home? Your legs make the corridor: stand up with your feet well apart (wider than his body), and put the dog right in front of you, facing you, head up towards you. As you step forwards, he'll back up between your legs, which guide him straight.
    • Get him into the corridor by luring him with a treat under his nose, or by calling him, then stand in front of him, face to face.
    • Take one calm step towards him: with no room to turn around, he steps back to keep his distance. The instant his first paw goes backwards, say "back up", mark with a "yes!" and reward.
    • At close range, don't throw the treat at his head: put it down or roll it along the floor behind him, in the direction he's going.

    Move on when: He backs up clearly, two or three steps down the passage, relaxed, without going sideways.

    • No corridor this time: walk gently towards the dog, an invitation, never a shove.
    • Now add a hand signal on every try: palm turned towards him, slightly raised, as if to say stop. Say "back up" at the same time. This signal will do the work at the next stage, when you stop stepping forwards.
    • As in stage 1, mark the very first step backwards with a "yes!" and reward behind him.
    • Stretch the movement out little by little: one step, then two, then three.
    • If he drifts off line or circles around you instead of going straight back, that's normal at first: the note just under these stages tells you how to straighten him out with a corridor.

    Move on when: Three roughly straight steps backwards while you walk gently towards him.

  3. This is where backing up becomes a real cue, rather than a reaction to your body coming closer.

    • Cut down your own advance: half a step, then just the start of a step, then nothing at all.
    • Let the word "back up" and your hand signal trigger the movement; stay still.
    • If nothing happens unless you move forwards, it was your body giving the cue: drop back a notch.

    Move on when: Two or three steps backwards on "back up" alone, with you standing still.

    • With you standing still, stretch the distance out: one metre, then two, then three.
    • Keep rewarding behind him, tossing the treat over him if need be so it lands behind.
    • Build up in small touches, never one long stretch out of nowhere.

    Move on when: Two to three metres of straight backing up on cue, in two or three quiet rooms.

If he drifts off sideways, he isn't being stubborn: going straight in reverse isn't something a dog can just improvise. Rebuild the movement in a makeshift corridor (the sofa on one side, the wall on the other): the corridor holds the straight line for him, then you widen it before going back to open ground.

If he sits or freezes instead of backing up, don't repeat the word louder: he doesn't hear you any better in that position. Take a step back yourself to give him space, get him standing again by keeping the treat at nose level rather than lifting it (lifting it is exactly what invites him to sit), then start over in a narrower corridor, rewarding very small steps, very quickly.

What it's good for

A trick that gets used keeps itself alive. Backing up is above all a way of repositioning your dog without touching him: no more nudging him with your knee or your hand.

Clearing a doorway
  • "Back up" before you open the front door: he clears the way on his own.
  • Your dog is no longer stuck between you and the swinging door.
Getting out of a lift
  • You ask for a back-up so you can step out without a scramble, in a tight space.
  • It works just as well in a narrow corridor, or facing a packed lift.
Repositioning him without touching him
  • In front of the open fridge or under your feet, "back up" replaces the hand that pushes.
  • He moves because you asked, not because you made him.

Going further

guideTeaching "stand" and position transitionsA solid stand is the groundwork before you ask your dog to back up without sitting.Read the guideguideTeach your dog to crawlAnother trick that calls for precision and body control, one to work on right after backing up.Read the guideguideThe foundations: teaching a trick with rewardsThe positive method for building any trick, backing up included, with no equipment at all.Read the guideguide“Touch”: teaching your dog to boop your handTeaching your dog to touch a spot with his nose helps enormously in guiding him in a straight line as he backs up.Read the guideguideChaining tricks together: back-chainingOnce backing up is solid, learn to chain it with other tricks for lovely sequences.Read the guideguidePositions and sending your dog at a distanceBacking up is a fine way into tricks worked at a distance, without him following you.Read the guideparcoursTeaching your dog tricksThe full path, from beginner to advanced.View the path

Frequently asked questions

How do you teach a dog to back up?

Start in a narrow gap between two pieces of furniture, or between the wall and the sofa: take one gentle step towards him, say "back up" while he's moving back and give the treat behind him. Mark the first step backwards with a "yes!". A few steps are plenty at first; standing still and stretching the distance come afterwards, one thing at a time.

My dog drifts off sideways when he backs up, what can I do?

He isn't being stubborn: going straight in reverse isn't something a dog can just improvise. Rebuild the movement in a makeshift corridor that holds the straight line for him, then widen it bit by bit. No need to repeat the cue any louder.

Can you teach a puppy to back up?

Yes, you can start as a puppy, around three or four months, once he's already walking with confidence. Keep the sets very short, with no excitement, on a non-slip floor, stay on small distances and avoid any impact while he's still growing.

How long does it take a dog to learn to back up?

There's no fixed timeline, every dog goes at his own pace. Short, spaced-out sessions (two to three minutes, not every day) beat daily cramming, and you only change one thing at a time. Two or three clean steps are worth more than one long, laboured retreat.

Do you need a clicker to teach backing up?

No, no equipment is needed. A short marker word ("yes!"), said at the exact instant the dog moves back, does exactly the same job: it tells him "that's it" before you toss the reward behind him.

What's the point of teaching your dog to back up?

It's one of the most useful tricks in town: clearing a doorway, stepping out of a lift without a scramble, repositioning your dog without touching him.

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