I've been working with Levi on his Foos/ although I use the Dutch command "Pfallow". Anyhow, when he heels, which he does very well for the most part, once I stop he will sit in front of me instead of beside me. Now I know this is my fault because I have put him in a stay, walked to the other side of the field and had him run, on command, to me and then sit in front of me. He always wants to be in front, looking at me, not beside me. How do I communicate to him that I want him in one spot on one occasion and in front of me on another? Also? Other than repetition are there any tricks to teaching him to off lead? I do have an e collar but have never used it on him. It has tone as well as stimulant commands....should I be using this?

Hi Robbin,
Don't know if this will work but this is what I would try. When you stop and as soon as he tries to reposition to the front, give a verbal correction and slowly take another step forward so that he has to walk in heel position. This time when you stop give the sit command and/or slightly pull up on the leash to get him into the sit position. Over time he should realize that it is expected that he sits when you stop. I am sure others on this forum might have a better suggestion but I saw that no one hase responded yet. Good luck.

I would stop, then as he moves to get in front of you, if he's on the left, turn right,
If he's on the right, turn left.

Continue to turn until he gets tied and sits beside you, at that point stop turning, and praise the dog.

I find wierd ways of teaching my dog, might not be he right way, but works for me.

good luck

Hi Robin,

Someone that I know would suggest saying nothing when he does that, neither praise nor correction. Rather make it something he doesn't want to do by "walking through him" as you start walking in Heel.

My pup would do the in front of me thing, when I put him into a down, after coming to a stop. So the suggestion to me was, instead of walking around him, "walk through him" ... not enough to injure, just enough to make it uncomfortable so that he wouldn't want to be there.

If my pup doesn't stop where I want him to, we will repeat the heal until he gets it right. And when he gets it right, he will then get lots of praise. As long as he sits, I do not correct. If he doesn't sit, then he gets corrected.

My pup seems to really enjoy our walks in heel and practicing the sit-stay, down-stay, et al. It is how we end our day now, part of our daily routine.

Other than that ... perhaps try to make sure he has ONE Command for Sitting at your Side; and a Different Command for Sitting in front of you, facing you.

Good Luck!

I just reread your post and did not see this part.

 Quote:

How do I communicate to him that I want him in one spot on one occasion and in front of me on another?

When your dog sits in front of you what command do you use. The reason I am asking is that if I want my dog to sit in front of me I am either calling him to me from a distance and use a come comand or he is standing right in front of me and I use the sit command. When my dog is sitting in front of me and I want him to sit on my left side I then use the fuss command, signaling him to "finish", which he then positions himself into a sit on my left side. From this position he is ready for heeling.

The formal recall and the end of heel are totally different things. You just have to teach them seperately. For the formal recall (I walk across the field and call him) reward him for being in front of you. For the heel, reward him for stopping beside you. If he starts to swing his butt out to face you, just grab his body and put him in the right position (I know, I know. But it works.) then reward him. While you're teaching this, you need to have him on the leash, so you have enough control that he can't do the wrong thing. I'd go Flat Leather Collar for this one.

Robbin, I meant to tell you to try this when we were on the phone last night. Try to make sure you start the pfallow command with Levi sitting next to you, you standing still. I'm not sure how you initially get him to sit next to you, but I'd use the pfallow command for that. Then start off walking, saying pfallow and treating when he's in the right position during the walk.

When you stop, as soon as he moves out of position to get in front of you, before he is able to sit, take a big step back with your left leg and at the same time using the leash in your left hand a few inches from the collar, do a big swooping circle with your hand out away from you, bring your hand back next to your left side which will bring him back into position beside you as you again say pfallow and bring your left leg forward next to your right leg. Treat at that time if he sits. If he doesn't sit next to you, say the command again and gently push his rump down, treat.

I didn't have this problem with Lear and I believe the reason for that is because of what Sefi Sahar told me regarding the heel. He made me understand that the heel position for a dog is sitting next to you. The REASON he gets up is to follow and walk beside you because you're moving. As soon as you stop, the dog sits.

So I started, per Sefi, with telling Lear to sit, then "I" walked to his right side and said "heel" and treated. I did this many times before even starting to walk. When I did finally take a couple of steps and stopped, I would say heel and Lear would sit next to me.

Just kind of worked out wonderfully, and Lear loved doing it, was really paying attention. You might want to hold off and ask Uschi about it when we go see her so you end up doing it her way if you decide to go with her. Just to stay consistent for Levi's sake so he doesn't have to learn one thing 2 different ways.


Edited by Sandy Moore (08/29/2007 11:39 AM)
Edit reason: forgot to say bring your left leg forward again :)

Robbin, do you use a reward for your OB?.I have seen that IF you reward has been in the past given when your dog was crooked , you taught him that position (without intentions) .Sandy has it right, and also here is one you might want to try.A your start position ,your dog is on a sit, position yourself at his shoulder,standing (finish position) Move forward into "heel" one step and stop and tell him to sit,don't allow him to get pass you, keep him tight to your side.When he is sitting in the right position reward him right away.If he is crooked or forging, put him in the right position, show him how you want him, don't reward until he is in the right position.When I am working on my "heel" with my dog ,I always slow my pace to queue him that I am going to stop so that he does not get the chance to pass in front or get crooked.Once you have a nice heel position and proof your heeling then you move on to off leash.I do not use a e-collar for ob only for long distance corrections so I cannot give you an input on that but if your heeling is not quiet what you want on a leash yet, don't go to off leash ,that is the biggest mistake people make .Don't rush it that good looking shepherd of yours will get it soon, practise on leash until you have it right.

Thanks to everyone for all the great ideas! I do have to say, Levi is not interested in treats. This makes it kinda tricky, since the only thing he wants is the little squeeky toy that I am hiding in my bra strap, lol!! That is the only thing he will work for. He will literally turn his nose up to treats. This is probably part of the problem because when I have taught him a down or down stay or even a sitz, he is usually in front of me. He knows once he obeys the command given, then and only then will I throw the ball for him to retrieve. So, for this reason he wants to position himself in front of me because he wants to see my right hand, knowing that he can keep a better eye on the ball and when I'm going to throw it, if he is in front of me. ~sigh~ ah...the novice trainer, pathetic in it? hehehehee

Hey Robbin, that squeaky toy is fine. You can use it instead of treats. Have Levi sit in front of you. Move to his right side, give the heel command. Hold Levi's leash in your left hand about 6 inches or so from the collar. Hold the toy in your right hand and put your right hand in front of your left shoulder/arm. Make sure Levi sees it. When he looks up at the toy (at a sit at your side), even before moving forward, drop the toy for him to catch it (just open your hand and let it fall). Keep doing this. You'll want him focused on that toy and ready to catch it when you drop it.

Then start taking a couple of steps forward, stop, with him sitting next to you, drop the toy. Only drop the toy when Levi is looking at it and when he's in the right position. Do it again with 3 steps, then with 5 steps, then 1 step, etc. Do it without taking any steps again, just as long as Levi is looking at that toy and he's in the right position.

I do it with Lear with treats and with toys. He doesn't care which. Treats have the advantage of being able to constantly shell out the food while we're heeling (and he's looking and in correct position), but a toy works just as great. Eventually Levi will be focused enough that he can walk longer before you release the toy.