When your puppy is understanding this movement, you can begin to fade out the food lure in your hands. Start by alternating between using a food lure and an empty hand lure, so your puppy begins to follow your hand even when they can’t always see food. As they become more confident, progress to using just an empty hand lure, guiding them smoothly into the middle position without food in your hand.
At this stage, you can also start to introduce your verbal cue just before you begin the movement, saying it clearly and then luring your puppy around your legs into position. As soon as your puppy reaches the correct middle position, use your marker word “yes” to clearly tell them they’ve got it right, then deliver the reward. Feed 2–3 treats while they remain in position to reinforce staying there. Once finished, use your release cue to send your puppy forward and reset for the next repetition. This helps your puppy understand the cue, the movement, and the reward sequence, building clarity and fluency in the behaviour.
