Course Details
Clean backing starts with clear foundations.
3 WEEK CLASS - Does your dog back up crooked? Swing wide in heel? Launch backward instead of stepping with control? Maybe it only works if there’s a wall beside them. Maybe it falls apart the second you try it in a run-through. Or maybe you’ve stopped working on it because it feels messy and you’re not sure how to clean it up.
Backing is one of those skills that exposes foundation gaps fast. It shows you how much rear-end awareness your dog has and how clearly they understand heel position.
Welcome to Back It Up! Building Powerful, Precise Backing Skills. In this 3-week class, you’ll learn how to break the skill apart and build it in a way that makes sense to your dog.
We’ll start by teaching a straight, confident backup from your front to a rear foot target. From there, we’ll transfer that understanding into heel position. Along the way, we’ll use pivots, sidesteps, and strategic reinforcement placement to develop rear-end awareness so your dog learns how to stay aligned with your body and back with intention rather than throwing themselves backward.
This class is for:
- Rally and obedience teams who want cleaner, straighter heelwork
- Dogs who already “kind of” back up but can’t quite stay in straight heel position
- Handlers who feel stuck relying on lures, walls, or props
- Sport foundations teams who want stronger rear-end awareness that carries into other behaviors
Backing should feel controlled and confident. When it’s trained with good mechanics, it strengthens heelwork, position changes, and overall body control.
Join me and build a backup you can trust.
Extra support included: A Teacher’s Assistant (TA) will be available to support bronze students.
Trailer for this class:
Teaching Approach:
Lectures are released on the first day of each week and include step-by-step written instruction plus short demonstration videos. Most videos are between 20 seconds and 2 minutes long, making them easy to fit into busy schedules. Videos are designed to be understood even without sound; if speaking is important, the lecture will clearly outline what is being said. Homework is included at the end of each lecture so you always know what to practice. Supplemental lectures and videos will be posted as needed.
Instructor: Nicole Wiebusch Nicole Wiebusch CPDT-KA (she/her) has been active in dog sports for over 25 years. What began with 4-H quickly grew into a lifelong passion for dog sports. (Click here for full bio and to view Nicole's upcoming courses)
