# How do I Prevent a Dog from flipping backwards?



## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Enjoy this glorious blooper of my dog right before she realized it was gonna be a tough landing 🤣
She’s a WGSL with a lot of successful IGP dogs in her 4 gen pedigree. She is doing super amazing and has a nice full strong bite, but she is a huge jumper and she’s not very coordinated yet 😅 so sometimes she’ll end up busting her tail.

I have ordered a better harness and I’m hoping that’ll help me control her better. I’m currently stationed in Italy so there is a bit of a language barrier with my helper. He told me to keep the line low and pressure downwards, but she still seems to flip herself. Any advice is appreciated.
If you want to see videos check out the Instagram I made for her HERE if the most recent story isn’t up go to the protection highlights.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Did he have you use your left hand out away from you, pressing down on the line? You have to sometimes find the right length and spot and maybe time it right with her before she starts to jump. Something else may be letting her move forward to the helper with her barking. Not exactly obedience yet, but coming into the hold and bark position. Not so much restraining and frustrating now.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

It’s lunging and flipping? You can help with leash pressure but I think it’s more on the decoys end.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Bearshandler said:


> It’s lunging and flipping? You can help with leash pressure but I think it’s more on the decoys end.


If you check out the stories in the Instagram under the “protection” highlights you’ll be able to see what we’ve been doing so far. The video of her busting her ass is towards the end. This isn’t the first time she’s done this though.

But yes we have just started on the sleeve and working on her bark and hold. When we do this she hasn’t “flipped” herself. The only times it has happened has been with the tug and the leather.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Bearshandler said:


> It’s lunging and flipping? You can help with leash pressure but I think it’s more on the decoys end.











should I maybe stand closer to her?
Lol this was a second before the photo of her I posted above 😬 next one is the crash landing. Urg I cringe every time I replay this in slowmo








None of the other dogs out there have done this, but most of the dogs out there are far more ahead of us and the ones that are about where we are do not have anywhere as much drive. So they aren’t jumping off the ground at the helper like a fish jumping out of water.
I am also thinking now that we’ve moved to the soft sleeve and aren’t dealing with the tug and leather anymore it might not be an issue.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

I don’t think it will be an issue anymore either. I would keep the rag lower.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Everything about this picture caused that flip. There is no reason for the helper to be whipping the object above the dogs head. It should be on the ground or at chest/head level. That was way over her head. A dog flipping is a huge issue with me. They get hurt that way. So your helper needs to stop that and you can choke up on the line to hold her down on the ground.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

Jax08 said:


> Everything about this picture caused that flip. There is no reason for the helper to be whipping the object above the dogs head. It should be on the ground or at chest/head level. That was way over her head. A dog flipping is a huge issue with me. They get hurt that way. So your helper needs to stop that and you can choke up on the line to hold her down on the ground.
> 
> View attachment 574237


Yeah... when I thought about it it makes sense because she doesn’t flip with the sleeve but the sleeve isn’t flying everywhere.


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## justde (Oct 4, 2000)

After so many years, I learned last year that if you actually lift up on the line when the dog is in the air, it helps prevent the flipping. Supports the fact that we've always tied our backtie above the level of the dog's back.


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## Lexi GSD (Jan 22, 2017)

justde said:


> After so many years, I learned last year that if you actually lift up on the line when the dog is in the air, it helps prevent the flipping. Supports the fact that we've always tied our backtie above the level of the dog's back.


When you think about it it makes sense actually. Thankfully since we have started on the sleeve we haven’t had anymore issues, but I will keep this in mind for my next sport dog!


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