Reg: 08-29-2006
Posts: 2324
Loc: Central Coast, California
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Looking for some help with heeling.
I've been very slowly preparing my dog for heeling. Up to this point it's been off-leash, getting him into the proper position and lots of focus work. His focus is great and he seems to get the idea that when he's in position at my side and focused on me, the ball reward will come.
We're now starting to take steps forward and it's at this point we're having difficulty. He starts at my side, focused on me, but then his body curves in toward me and drifts slightly in front of me, crowding me. The result is I'm stepping on and banging into him.
I should also add that I'm trying to do this one step at a time...and he's fine for that very first step. The second, or third step is when he starts crowding me.
The obvious (?) solution, I guess, is we now need to do this with a leash on. Do I correct him when he's crowding me? Make him get back into the proper position and start all over until he does it right? Move him out of my way with my knee?
I know he can do this and his only problem is...me.
At this point doing it without the leash is like running before we walk, you need the leash to guide him but NOT to correct him. He doesn't know what to do that's all, correcting the dog for not doing a exercise he doesn't know will be counter productive. What has to happen is you need to mould his behaviour by luring him into position and then rewarding him.
You can use treats or a favourite toy that he likes to play with. Put him into the heel position and reward him. Give the command 'X' "heel" lead off with the left foot move a 1 or 2 steps if he is not in heel be neutral and don't do a thing just guide him back into heel and reward him again.. Rinse and Repeat .. It won't take long before he recognizes that being in the 'heel' postion = good things!
One mistake that I used to do was 'treat' the dog and make the dog break the heel by going for the treat. Make sure that you bring the treat to the level where you want the dog to be and to not break out of the position you want the dog to be in. If the dog breaks be neutral and just move the dog back into the position. Once the dog heels a few steps keep your reward handy and try to time it so that you give the reward when he does it right even for a few steps.
(K)eep (I)t (S)hort and (S)imple 5 minutes twice a day and end it on a good note for both of you even if you have do another exercise that the dog knows to end things up.
Reg: 04-29-2006
Posts: 138
Loc: Southern California
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Hi
How old is the dog?
Also, are you holding the ball up on your left shoulder? I see alot of people hold it in the middle of their body or on their right shoulder. This encourages the dog to forge out in front or cross over.
Lynn
Reg: 08-29-2006
Posts: 2324
Loc: Central Coast, California
Offline
Thanks for the replies.
He's almost 16 months. I've put this off until now because, for me, this is the hardest thing to train. He knows the position, he knows a behind-the-back-finish and is working on a flip finish. If we didn't have to move forward we'd look pretty good J/K!
Probably the only thing I'm doing correctly is holding the ball up by my shoulder. He is ball crazy so I think he's anticipating me throwing it, which is his reward for doing other commands correctly.
I stopped using treats for the reason Goeff mentioned above...my aim is lousy and he broke position to get it.
Guess it's time to break out the leash and take everything back a few steps.
You might want to try to mix up the ball with something else .. something he is not as driven over or maybe a smaller ball on a string or Orbee so you can hide better.
Do the initial training with food. The drive wont be as high and the dog can remain clearer. Once the dog fully understands, then go to the ball.
Don't go for that 4-5th step if you know the dog will break. Do random steps and reward sometimes for the halt and sometimes for the actual heeling.
BTW, I train everything off lead. Done correctly, the dog doesn't need to be corrected. Marker training! Ed has a nice article about it!
Bob,
Without correction (maybe I should be using the word instruction) how does the dog know why he's not being rewarded? Isn't this pure motivational? Can you refer me to that article please?
Ed's article does use correction but it does a good job of explains the marker training. Look under dog training articles on Ed's site.
I've chosen to eliminate the correction and go with pure motivational with my last two dogs. Withholding a reward can be as intense to a highly motivated dog as any correction. It was a struggle for an old yank and crank trainer such as myself, but I stuck with it because I believe it!
As with ANY dog training method, you have to believe in the method your using. They all work in the right hands.
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