Crufts handlers share simple tricks to get your dog to do a leg weave

Watchers of the world-renowned Crufts dog show could be forgiven they could never have the same control of their pet pooch as the expert handlers in the ring have. However, one impressiove-looking trick is deceptively simple to train by just following a few instructions.

held annually at the NEC, in Birmingham, features dog shows, agility competitions, impressive demonstrations, and many other events intended to educate and entertain. Crufts, organized by The Kennel Club, is also a dog lover’s dream to go learn some tricks and tips.

This morning, the Have a go at Agility segment presented by a group of handlers and their loyal companions, shared a demonstration on how to achieve a leg weave, a trick where a dog weaves in and out of a person’s legs in a figure-eight pattern.

While the fundamental skill for dog sports like canine freestyle may appear impossibly complex at first glance, handlers demonstrated that with a little willpower (and treats),

Here’s how:

Step 1: Lure in your dog with some food from one hand to another.

Step 2: Proceed as it goes through the lengths of the figure of eight. Slowly, your dog will start to know where to go.

Step 3: Start to stand up a bit, and proceed to only feed the dog after a whole figure of eight.

Step 4: Eventually, you might not even have a treat in one hand, you might just have a treat in one hand and feed it in the end, only randomly in the figure of eight.

Step 5: Once your dog has understood the full trick, you can move on to just using the body and no hands. During competitions, some handles will make their furry friend achieve the trick while keeping their hands behind their back.

The handlers, who each train with different breeds, showcased , which all had different difficulty levels. Cooper, the speedy Border Collie, achieved a classic straight line leg weave.

Billy the little hound executed a side to side leg weave, which allows smaller breeds to achieve bigger figures of eight. Later, Bob the French Bulldog showcased his best backward weave, which requires the handler to remain focused on which leg to use.

Finally, Dexter the golden retriever impressed the audience with his leg weave with a twist. The difficult move adds a complex edge, as it requires the pooch to spin after each weave.