Rear Cross

13 Aug 2006Steve Schwarz

The Rear Cross is a handling manuever that, like all crosses, is used to allow the handler to change from one side of the dog to the other or to initiate/maintain a turn in the dog’s path. The Rear Cross has the following properties:

The dog must move ahead of the handler in order for the handler to cross behind the dog
The handler remains behind the dog immediately afterwards
The dog is visible to the handler throughout the cross
When used close to the dog, it can strongly effect the dog's path (for better or worse)
When the handler doesn't yield position to the dog a collision can occur

Executing the Rear Cross

Here are videos where I demonstrate Rear Crosses with Meeker (he is just learning to sequence more than one obstacle so these aren’t the smoothest examples, but they should give you the idea):

Zig Zag Rear Cross on the Flat Exercise

Zig Zag Rear Cross on Take Off Side Exercise With Jumps

Zig Zag Rear Cross on Landing Side Exercise With Jumps

Learning the Rear Cross

See this article to learn how to perform a Rear Cross.

Alternate Thoughts

Bud Houston calls the Rear Cross on the landing side of a jump a "Tandem Turn" because both the dog and handler turn in the same direction and in parallel (crossing) paths.

Some trainers talk about using a Handler Line Using the Handler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line Handler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line for appropriately locating the Rear Cross as it is used for executing the Front Cross Learning the Front Cross - Video Front Cross.

This article about handling 270 Degree Jump Sequences also shows using Rear Crosses as part of handling that sequence.

Click this link to search the whole site for “Rear Cross”.

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