How do I teach my dog to go through between my legs?

Standing with your legs wide apart, guide him with a treat from front to back, mark the pass-through with a "yes!" and reward behind you. Stay upright, without leaning over, and empty your hand as soon as he follows you smoothly.

My dog refuses to go between my legs, what should I do?

Spread your legs wider, lower the lure and, above all, don't lean over him: looming is intimidating. If he stays wary despite a gentle build-up, never force it, it's trust work (with a trainer if need be), and a brand-new refusal is worth ruling out a physical discomfort.

Middle (between your legs)

Teaching your dog tricksPart of · Teaching your dog tricks

Middle (between your legs)

Q: How do I teach my dog the "middle" position?

Once the pass-through is in place, bring him in from behind, stop him with his nose forward using the lure and ask for the sit: mark and reward in position. Only add the word "middle" once he comes into place all by himself.

Q: What is the "between your legs" trick useful for day to day?

It's a genuine safe spot in town: a crowd, a narrow pavement, passing another dog, your dog tucks himself safely between your legs instead of drifting at the end of the lead. It's also a rallying point that places him on a single word, and a reassuring landmark for a sensitive dog.

Q: What's the difference between "middle", "guard" and "peekaboo"?

"Middle" and "guard" often refer to the same seated position between the legs ("guard" here is purely playful, with no defensive role). "Peekaboo" is the same idea with an entry from behind and the head popping out between your knees. One behaviour = one word: if two names point to the same position, keep only one.

Q: From what age can I teach a puppy this trick?

This trick is done on the ground, with no jumping or raised position: it suits a puppy well, in very short sessions and on a non-slip floor. Keep the pass-throughs gentle, without making him crawl or twist, and stop at the first sign of tiredness.

11 min read

What the "middle" is for on a walk

A dog who slips between your legs and then sits is accepting a vulnerable position, a real sign of trust. Once he links plenty of good things to it, that spot becomes a refuge he chooses himself, the place he tucks into as soon as you say the word. Some trainers also notice that a sensitive dog often feels calmer in the middle than in a heel position: worth a try, not a guarantee. All of this is built with rewards, never with physical force, as American veterinary behaviourists recommend.

The floor, the space and a solid sit

The bare minimum, with a dog who has just been out and exercised, so he's calm.

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Ready to start

From a pass-through to a held position

Three stages: only move on once the previous one flows.

Step 1 / 3

He walks through underneath you, from back to front, following your hand.
- Stand up with your legs spread wide. Draw your dog in with a treat so he comes to stand just behind you, between your heels, or call him to that spot.
- Slide your arm backwards between your legs, hand right down at floor level, until the treat touches his nose.
- Bring your hand gently forwards so it comes back out between your legs in front of you: keep it low the whole way, lifting it only slightly right at the end, never enough to make him jump. His nose follows, his head comes through first, then his whole body.
- Mark with a "yes!" the moment his shoulders clear your legs and he is fully out in front of you, and reward him there, in front of you.
- Stand up straight: if you lean over him, he hesitates.
- If he doesn't dare come forward, shorten the distance between your hand and him, or spread your legs even wider; if he comes through at an angle, one flank against a leg, bring your hand right back to the centre, equally far from both legs.
- To start again, guide him with the treat around one side of you, to bring him back behind you.
- Repeat the same movement with an empty hand, a few passes per session, until he comes through on his own following your hand.
Move on when: He comes through from back to front following your empty hand, several times in a row: that's the standing pass-through, the same foundation as the weave.
He centres himself between your legs and sits on one word, without your hand going all the way through: unlike the weave, here he settles and stays, he doesn't come out the other side.
- With your dog behind you, use the same movement, but this time stop your hand between your legs before he comes all the way out.
- His head and chest are out in front of you, the rest of his body stays between your legs, equally far from each leg, nicely centred and facing forwards.
- Ask for the sit right then, or wait for him to sit by himself, and mark with a "yes!" exactly as his bottom touches the floor, still centred.
- If he arrives centred then sits crooked, don't mark: re-centre him with the treat and wait for a straight sit before saying "yes!".
- Reward by lowering your hand between your legs, not in front of you, so he stays in position.
- If he sits too far forward, in front of you rather than between your legs, you released your hand too early or too high: keep it low and close to your body until he is truly centred, before you mark.
- Empty the hand gradually, then say "middle" just before he comes into position. You'll know he's anticipating when he starts moving towards the space between your legs by himself, before your hand even sets off, or when he stares at your legs.
Move on when: Placement and sit are reliable before you work on duration.
He holds the position calmly despite what's going on around him.
- Rain treats down on him for as long as he stays put, so the position itself becomes a pleasant place to be.
- Teach him a release word first, a clear "okay!" that tells him he can get up: say "okay", invite him to move and reward him a step further on, a few times, until the word is enough on its own.
- Then build the duration up in steps, always finishing on your "okay!".
- Add distractions one at a time, at a distance to start with: someone walking past, a sudden noise.
- When you raise the distraction, drop the duration you ask for: never make two things harder at once.
- If he gets up before the release word, don't tell him off: go back to a shorter duration, and build it up more slowly next time.
Move on when: The "middle" works outdoors, where you actually need it: a narrow pavement, a junction, a crowd.

Position learned

Two words, two different movements: "through" is for sending him all the way from one side to the other (that's the basis of the weave between your legs), "middle" is for having him come and settle between your legs and stay there. If all you want is the "middle", you don't need to teach "through": just keep the pass-through movement as a step towards the final position.

To really use this on walks, bridge it from walking. Your dog is walking beside you: stop, guide him behind you with a treat first, then into the centre between your legs as in training, and ask for the "middle". Once that works at a standstill, do it again while moving very slowly, one step at a time, before you rely on it in a crowd.

A "middle" learned in the living room only exists in the living room at first. Start it again from scratch in other rooms and then outdoors, asking for less to begin with: a shorter duration, a fuller hand, you closer to him, before you count on it out on a walk.

The pitfalls

Carrying on or adapting the trick

You can carry on as you are

Your dog comes through and sits without hesitating, relaxed.
The floor holds and you have room to spread your legs wide.
He comes back into position by himself: he likes it there.

Better to adapt or drop it

He would have to crawl or twist to get through (a big dog): spread wider or give it up, all he would learn is discomfort.
He stays wary of you looming over him despite a gentle progression: that's a broader trust issue, with a trainer if need be, never by forcing it.
A brand-new refusal appears on a movement that flowed yesterday: stop there.

AVSAB — Position statement on humane dog training (2021)
Demant et al. — The effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and long-term memory in dogs (2011)

Going further

guide“Touch”: teaching your dog to boop your handThe trick where he puts his nose on your hand, the foundation for "middle": get it solid and the rest becomes a game.Read the guide guideWeaving through your legsOnce the standing pass-through is learned, turn it into movement with the weave between your legs.Read the guide guideThe foundations: teaching a trick with rewardsThe basics for teaching any trick, worth a look before you start.Read the guide guideChaining tricks together: back-chainingLearn to chain "middle" with other tricks to build a proper routine.Read the guide guidePositions and sending your dog at a distanceTake the exercise further by gradually moving your dog away from you, once he's solid up close.Read the guide guideWalking on a lead without pullingPut this position to work on walks: at a junction, when another dog comes past, or to park him beside you for a moment.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

How do I teach my dog to go between my legs?

Stand with your legs spread very wide and draw him behind you first with a treat. Slide your arm backwards between your legs until the treat touches his nose, then bring your hand forwards, kept low, so he follows it and comes out in front of you. Mark with a "yes!" as soon as he's out and reward him there. Stay upright without leaning over, and empty your hand as soon as he follows you smoothly.

How do I teach my dog the "middle" position?

Once the pass-through is learned, use the same movement but stop your hand between your legs before he comes all the way out: his head points forwards, his body stays centred, equally far from each of your legs. Ask for the sit, mark with a "yes!" and reward him in that position, then add the word "middle" once he's coming into place by himself.

What is the "between the legs" trick for day to day?

It's a genuinely safe spot in town: crowds, a narrow pavement, passing another dog, your dog tucks into that refuge between your legs instead of drifting at the end of the lead. It's also a place you can bring him back to with a single word. Plenty of trainers also notice that a sensitive dog often feels calmer there: an interesting avenue, not a treatment for fear.

What's the difference between "middle", "guard" and "peekaboo"?

"Middle" and "guard" often mean the same sitting position between your legs ("guard" is purely playful here, with no protection role). "Peekaboo" is the same idea, entering from behind with his head coming out between your knees. One behaviour = one word: if two names point to the same position, keep only one of them.

My dog won't go between my legs, what should I do?

Spread your legs wider, shorten the distance between your hand and him to start with, and above all don't lean over him: looming is intimidating. If he stays wary despite a gentle progression, never force it, it's a matter of trust, with a trainer if need be, and a brand-new refusal is worth ruling out physical discomfort.

From what age can a puppy learn this trick?

This trick happens on the floor, with no jumping and no upright position: it suits a puppy well, in very short sessions and on a non-slip floor. Keep the passes gentle, without making him crawl or twist, and stop at the first sign of tiredness.

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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