# Touch Pads



## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

Yesterday I was watching a freebie Michael Ellis video on training your dog to the Touch Pad. Ok, I went and bought a suitable touch pad and using marker with food I quickly taught him to put his two front feet on the pad. Now I can't find any information on using it on specific exercises! Anybody have any resourses?

Denise


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Denise King said:


> Yesterday I was watching a freebie Michael Ellis video on training your dog to the Touch Pad. Ok, I went and bought a suitable touch pad and using marker with food I quickly taught him to put his two front feet on the pad. Now I can't find any information on using it on specific exercises! Anybody have any resourses?
> 
> Denise



What kind of exercises? Jumps, send-away?


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## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

The video I was watching showed only how to teach the dog to put their feet on the pad and now I need to know how to put it to use!


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## Michelle Kutelis (Sep 28, 2006)

Try searching youtube for "perch work" and "brick work".


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Denise King said:


> The video I was watching showed only how to teach the dog to put their feet on the pad and now I need to know how to put it to use!



I was asking what you are training (a sport, ob, whatever) so I could guide you to a specific exercise or exercises. 

Michelle gave a better general answer, though.


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## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

Sorry! I train for AKC Obedience. Thanks for your help!


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

You can use it for your send away, the directional work, some people use it for the drop on recall. I've also seen people teach the dog to pivot around the touch pad and then incorporate that into their heel position work. Basically any exercise where you need the dog to go to a specific spot.

I think there are more uses for it in some of the protection sports because of the variation in the exercises.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

Denise I asked the same question but asked for specific uses a while back might do a search there were some really ideas presented.


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## Edward Egan (Mar 4, 2009)

I've seen it used for hurdle work. The idea was to get the dog to jump further out, *instead* of straight up and over then immediately back over, again straight up and down (incorrectly). In otherwords to get the dog to stretched out over the jump by having to travel 5 paces after the jump to the pad, sit facing the jump, then on command jump over again to another pad.


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## Denise King (May 31, 2009)

Thanks for all of your info! I have some interesting things to work on now! In case anyone is interested, I saw the "Touch Tub" on Leerberg's site and went down to my neighborhood farm store and got one for $5.99! They are the rubber bowls that you would use for farm animals. I have seen the big ones used for horses!

Denise


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

It's also used at the bottom of the Schutzhund A-frame to teach the dog not to launch off the top. I think that came from the agility folks.


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## Ashley Scott (Feb 9, 2012)

I use it for a lot of different things, but the biggest thing is for rear end awareness and incorporation into heelwork.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Be careful of the big rubber feed bowls. Some tend to be too soft and collapse under the dogs weight. I got some plastic feed bowels from Big Lots for $2. I also got a bunch of plastic frisbys at
the Dollar store that make real nice touch pads


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Thomas Barriano said:


> I also got a bunch of plastic frisbys at the Dollar store that make real nice touch pads


I like the cloth frisbees and round hot pads (for putting something from the stove/oven on) from the dollar store. Easy to put into a pocket and carry around on the field, then pull out when needed. Plus you can usually find them in a variety of colors to make them very visible, or blend in with the ground depending on what you are wanting at that point in training.


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## Lisa Brazeau (May 6, 2010)

Man, I'm making a trip to biglots! 

AKC touch pad incorporated exercises - Send Away, Fronts, left turns heeling, Broad jump.

I never teach the broad jump without a touchpad after my Presa sprained her shoulder abruptly turning to come to front. I want them to jump, take a few strides, then turn. Teaching them to jump, touch the pad and then front shows them that pattern.


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## Lisa Brazeau (May 6, 2010)

It would be worth buying the video imo.


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## Adrianne Steimonts (Jun 21, 2010)

Lisa Brazeau said:


> Man, I'm making a trip to biglots!
> 
> AKC touch pad incorporated exercises - Send Away, Fronts, left turns heeling, Broad jump.
> 
> I never teach the broad jump without a touchpad after my Presa sprained her shoulder abruptly turning to come to front. I want them to jump, take a few strides, then turn. Teaching them to jump, touch the pad and then front shows them that pattern.


Great idea, thank you


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

Lisa Brazeau said:


> Man, I'm making a trip to biglots!
> 
> AKC touch pad incorporated exercises - Send Away, Fronts, left turns heeling, Broad jump.
> 
> I never teach the broad jump without a touchpad after my Presa sprained her shoulder abruptly turning to come to front. I want them to jump, take a few strides, then turn. Teaching them to jump, touch the pad and then front shows them that pattern.



Hi Lisa

The trouble with Big Lots (and Dollar Tree) is they don't always have the same stuff. My portable jump is something I picked up years ago and never saw them again.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

TONS of plastic lids of all sizes at the dollar store.


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## Thomas Barriano (Mar 27, 2006)

I've used the hot plate pads too. I like the cheap frisby because they're still a little bit elevated. You're right about their being tons of stuff you can use at the Dollar Stores


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Thomas Barriano said:


> I've used the hot plate pads too.


I like this suggestion. Thanks!


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