Leerburg | Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis

Focused Heeling
with Michael Ellis

4 Hours

Michael Ellis Heeling
Michael Ellis and his dog Pi

Product #223-D

This is our third in the Michael Ellis series of training DVDs. We feel it's the best one yet. The training information in this video is revolutionary in the world of dog training.

Michael's motivational system of training dogs is based in marker training. You can visit the FREE streaming video section of our web site and listen to Michael's 7 part lecture on his method of dog training.

The foundation for the work in this focused heeling DVD is covered in the 9 1/2 hours of instruction featured in our two earlier DVDs that were done with Michael.

The Power of Training Dogs with Food
The Power of Playing Tug with Your Dog

The old "yank and crank" methods of training heeling have gone by the wayside. The fact is a good portion of the training in this DVD can be done without a leash and without corrections. In fact introducing corrections are the very last step in focused heeling.

OUTLINE of FOCUSED HEELING DVD:

The Need for Engagement

-When to start training
- Terms of the training

Muscle Memory Heeling - 58 Minute Chapter

Step 1 - head position along a barrier
Step 2 - Fading the Lure hand
Step 3 - Putting focus on Cue

Leash Pressure - 61 Minute Chapter

-What when and why to teach your dog to "give to pressure"
-When to start introducing leash pressure
-Training the Back-Up on a verbal cue

Sustained Focus - 31 Minute Chapter

-Increase the focus and distance of straight line heeling
-Heel off the wall

When to use Food vs a Toy Reward for Heeling

-When and why do you move from a food rewards to a toy rewards
-Choosing the dogs focal point on your body
-How to retrain a dog that has been started in other training systems

Training Turns while Heeling

-When to start training turns
-Use of touch pads in teaching the turn
-Using a physical cue along with a verbal cue in teaching turns
-Left turns
-Right turns
-About turns

Training the Finish

-The types of finishes used in heeling your dog and how they vary
-How to layer teaching the finish into your heeling program

Find the Left Leg

-Fine tune your dogs position by training "Find the Left leg exercises"

Adding Distractions

Outtakes - otherwise known a oooops!! we didnt get that take right :-)

We feel that the work in this DVD is revolutionary. I started going to competitive training seminars in 1974 and have never stopped. I have never been exposed to concepts that even come close to the work in this DVD.

Training dogs to give to pressure is revolutionary in the field of dog training. It teaches young dogs how to live with stress. The concept of "learning how to give to pressure" has been around for years in horse training, no one has introduced it into the world of dog training like Michael Ellis.


Michael Ellis and his dog Pi	Cindy and Rush

Leerburg Questions & Answers
on Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis

Question:

Dear Cindy,

Wow great web site and great information. I have read, watched and learned so much from all of you. Thank You! I have most of your videos in my collection and watch them over and over. Because of your company I felt confident enough to take on the task of training my own Service Dog. In the past I got Service Dogs from a company that trains them but I never felt that they were the dog they could have been. I use an electric wheelchair because of Muscular Dystrophy. I have very limited strength. However, with your videos, web casts, and articles I have been equipped with the knowledge to purchase my own Doberman and train him to be my assistance dog. All is going well. Boomer is two now (I got him through a great breeder when he was 8 months old). We work every day with clicker training. He is picking up all kinds of items for me including retrieving the telephone when it rings.We are always working on engagement every day which is something I never really had with my other Service Dogs. This makes such a difference and a stronger bond between me and my Service Dog.

I have purchased over eight of your videos. The last one was "The Power of Training Dogs with Food." Refer to it several times a week! I did not purchase "The Power of Playing Tug with Your Dog." The reason is because of my physical weakness I knew that I would not be able to play tug with my dog Boomer. However I did learn other games to play with him that strengthen our bond but also teach him that I say when the games begin and when the games end.

My question is I am interested in the latest one coming out "Focused Heeling." However, I am in an electric wheelchair so having the dog focus on lining up with my leg is not an option. However, I am hoping that I can achieve the positioning at a certain point along side my wheelchair. Boomer currently walks well on a leash next to me but at times pulls gently ahead. I have taught him the word "back" which means to step back one step. This helps reposition him where I want him. I visualize the day that Boomer will walk next to my wheelchair without always holding the leash. Do you think that I can take the information provided on this video and adapt it to meet my unique situation?

Thanks again for everything!

Janis and Boomer

Answer:

I absolutely think you can use this information. Michael explains in this video how to pick a focal point for your dog. You can simply pick your own point for him to focus on.

Good luck and let me know how it goes with your training.

Cindy

Testimonials on the
Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis DVD

Review 1 on Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis

April 29, 2010

I have been to a few Michael Ellis seminars and have the M.E. DVDs. The focused heeling video is by far the best video to date you have produced.

Don't get me wrong the others are well worth it (I would have paid more) and definitely required to get to this point.

Not only does it cover heeling, but, much, much more. It is really, really a good training video...especially the out takes... whata do at the end of the day?

I have taken my little puppy through the M.E. system the best I can and it is amazing. I took Jaz to a "competition obedience" class (mainly for engagement \ distraction purposes) for "advanced" dogs (AKC stuff) at 11 months old and she is by far the best dog in the class hands down, that includes so called titled AKC dogs. And we are just getting going in Michael's heeling system.

Almost every student in the class wants to come out to my house to learn what the hell I did. I am pretty sure the instructors would like me to jump off a bridge. Believe me I don't want any attention, I would rather go about my business and leave... but the other students are constantly asking me how I did this or that. The problem is, I am working on engagement \ focus and probably coming off as rude, oh well... I kind of feel bad for the instructors.

I have been dog training for less than two years (started May 2008). I guess that must say something.

Thanks for producing such a great DVDs, your work in the dog training world is very much appreciated and Michael is truly an amazing teacher.

See you in June,

Scott
Bemidji, MN

Review 1 on Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis

April 2, 2010

Hi,

I've been a trainer for 25 years. I have had German Shepherds literally all my life. I've competed in just about every dog sport there is, and have trained and shown dogs to championships in tracking, herding, obedience, plus more. I became so disgusted at what the "sport" of schutzhund became long ago. I quit cold turkey, and never looked back. Back when I was getting dirty looks for using my clicker & cookies, I would try to explain some of the science of learning to the group of good old boys I would train with, to no avail. I couldn't bare seeing fine dogs being tortured by unfair training methods used by incompetent, ignorant handlers with very poor skills that were unwilling to learn anything new. "That's the way we have always done it," was a commonly heard comment.

Over the years, I've taught hundreds of students, "better" ways to train enthusiastic, accurate, focused, reliable dogs, in AKC obedience. I've written for dog magazines like front and finish and the AKC gazette, given seminars, and made a living teaching private lessons. I don't keep up with any of the protection type dog sports anymore at all. I have never heard of Michael Ellis, so I don't know what made me order these DVDs from you, but I did, and boy am I glad I did! I have to say. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU! for producing these DVDs! I hope you sell a million of them! :) On these DVDs, not only is Michael using sound scientific principles of learning, he is delivering the information in a very clear, comprehensive, organized, thoughtful manner. It is obvious he has a deep understanding and a ton of experience in what he is teaching. Which is the hallmark of a great teacher, but very rare indeed! In working with the handlers, he is not missing a thing. What a valuable source of information!

I do also love how you edit the DVDs to point out reviews, comments or step by step points with text on the screen. These DVDs are a true asset to ANYONE who trains dogs, no matter what sport it is! I will be recommending them to all my students. Bravo!

PS-The video of Cindy and Rush actually brought a tear to my eye, knowing that there really is good protection type training going on out there, might just motivate me to dig out some of my old bite work equipment. :) I'm not that far from Wisconsin ;)

Thanks again!
Lori

Review 2 on Focused Heeling with Michael Ellis

April 1, 2010

Hi Cindy,

I recieved "Focused Heeling" video and wanted to compliment on how wonderful it is. Loved the detail and breakdown of the exercise. What will the next one be about? Hopefully something regarding competition.

Sincerely,
Penny

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