Ryuk and I went to check out a schutzhund club last week, loved it...will be going back...trying to find the money for membership :P

I've been trying to work on the more "schutzhund" style heel with the dog staring intently up at my face....which Ryuk "gets" pretty well.....however he walks about 3 inches off my leg his shoulder even with my knee. Unlike the GSDs at this club his head is not in front of me....and though he's looking straight at my face (no longer at the reward pocket or reward!) his head is not turned in front of me.

When I try to move him closer so that his head IS turned in front of me with his shoulder at my knee I trip on him, he trips on me, I knee him in the head, he steps on my feet, I stomp his paws...basically it's a HUGE mess....

so how do you get the head wrap around without all of the stuff mentioned above? I'm sure part of it is that I move with the grace of a crippled elephant...but there must be some other way we can try this....We can't even seem to get it for a moment long enough to mark it....

It might be a height thing... I know you've told me, but my memory sucks. How tall is Ryuk? All I can remember is he's WAYYY bigger then I always think.

I use the knee to the head move intentionally at times.... QUIT CROWDING ME, DAMNIT! I also unintentionally trained Koenig to bark while we heel backwards. I stepped on his feet too much...

I'm not sure that he head wrapping is required/more desirable. So long as his head is looking up, at your face, you should be golden. The more of a wrap look you get, the more crowding and forging you'll see, I believe. Just make sure his shoulder is at your knee. (I know that you know this... lol)

lol at the 'crippled elephant' comparison. Now I know EXACTLY how that works! I have a name for it now. Thanks! and my poor Coulter has been kneed in the jaw/head several times - thank goodness he's got a hard head, but my poor knee....!

As for the rest of it, I don't know how 'wrapped' they are supposed to be, but I would think that it's the focus, not the degree of 'wrappage' that should count. I'm new to this as well having just recently found a club I click with.

I know you're going to have a blast with your club, I'm glad you found them!

Enjoy!

I'm struggling with this too but for a different reason, hope this is semi helpful though. We work along a fence, dog and then me, if no fence then we go in circles or s's. The exercise is short 5-10 feet, marking, marking, marking. Adding distance or straighter path with success. Are you using food, could also be hand placement.

 Quote: Jamie Craig

Unlike the GSDs at this club his head is not in front of me....and though he's looking straight at my face (no longer at the reward pocket or reward!) his head is not turned in front of me.

- that's called forging, crabbing and crowding, Jamie. This is what focused heeling is supposed to look like

As you see height is not a problem

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

 Quote: Jamie Craig

Unlike the GSDs at this club his head is not in front of me....and though he's looking straight at my face (no longer at the reward pocket or reward!) his head is not turned in front of me.

- that's called forging, crabbing and crowding, Jamie. This is what focused heeling is supposed to look like

As you see height is not a problem

Ana, what a great video. It always brings a smile to my face to see that superb focus and enthusiasm that some mals have.