So, I know some of this is partly due to my lack of training with Conan lately. But, some of it is just plain me doing something wrong.

I posted on here a while ago about training a focused heel with Conan. I never did it, because time just didn't permit, and he doesn't pull on the leash so it was entirely necessary.

Anyway, I got the Michael Ellis DVD and have been introducing a focused heel. We're still in the luring stage against a wall, with the food in my hand in front of his face. He is so food motivated I don't feel like I will ever be able to take the food hand away. He was getting it pretty well tonight, so I tried hiding it. If we're just standing in the heel position, no hand is fine. But once I take a step, he waits in a stand. This would be great for teaching a stand, but I'm not. I'm teaching a heel.

I'd been luring him off an on for about a month now. I'm assuming that has a lot to do with it. Am I just being too impatient? Should I use a lesser value food reward?

Thanks!

Same thing happened when I tried to apply methods from Heeling DVD with my then 3 dogs.

It seems to be about making them heel next to your side first, forget the focus. Focus is shaped separately, I love to get it to the point where I could use just my eyes to point where the dog should go. Like "move right here. No, 6" to the right. Yes".

As per the DVD, the dog is not supposed to actually have constant eye contact, just be looking at the side of your face.

"Find the leg" exercise?

I need to order that video, I have managed as far as sitting or standing and in the right position. But when I try to include motion I get a lot of confused standing and flopping on his back for lack of any better ideas.

Sounds like he has the muscle memory part of it down if you can lure him pretty easily, I would assume you have a focus cue "look" or "watch" already trained, i would not remove the food lure just raise it up over his head, assuming he will still follow and heel, give him the focus cue as soon as he looks at you mark it. Once he will look at you instead of the hand while you are moving then you can start hiding it more, just make sure you mark the reward while he is looking at you, not your hand.
I don't know if it is part of the focused heeling DVD, ( I would think it is) but there is a video clip how to reward properly for heeling that might help out too.
http://leerburg.com/playem.htm?name=flv/10-25-2010-news.flv
Good luck

Katie, I found the advice given by Sarah and Anne on the last page of this thread to be very helpful. I was moving too fast with Chula, and once I broke it into smaller steps the results were better.
http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/292197/page/6#Post292197

PS, can you post a video??

Thank you to everyone! Great help. Very helpful info in your other thread Lynne! I think I'm going to teach Conan the heel position (sitting at my side) first and then add the moving forward, and then fade the hand. I think maybe I rushed the moving too quickly.

I'll try to get some video, but I don't have any yet.

Thanks again!

A video clip would be hugely helpful!

Okay, so I have a video. Bring on the critique.

It's very short, because we have a very short hallway. I tried training and filming in the backyard first, but we have a low flower bed brick lining and instead of using it to stay straight Conan just walks on top of it. I would have run back to the beginning and started over but I was out of treats. And I was embarrassed Also, I recently got my bangs cut and keep forgetting to pin them back when training.

Anyway, here you are. If you need more just let me know. This is kind of how I've been doing it. Okay, I'll shut up now and pretend like it's not a disaster.

http://vimeo.com/17174806

That's a good beginning Katie! A couple of things may help you. Start off with your left leg instead of your right, it's a small thing that may help the dog to understand it's a POSITION you're asking for vs a situation, meaning the hallway and your hand. Also, rewarding from the same hand and place every time can keep the dog from understanding it's a position. This is KC @ 5 months old when it was dawning on him that it wasn't situational http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K-JGufWHYY&feature=related .

Here's a video I made for someone that condences it all in a coupla of minutes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFcNLLeJa4 . We made it kidding around but you can see it's a position just like sit,down, here, etc.

Make sure you have fun with your pups and don't get caught up in all the hoopla about "methods", try different stuff, if it doesn't work, try something else. All dogs are different and come hardwired with their individual learning curve, that along with inconsistant training due to whatever reason equals a longer time for the dog to learn and have it stored in their teeny brains, lol.

I met a 7 week old corgi at the vets office, it was possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Thanks Al! I think I'll do that - just start getting him on the left side. He gets a little crooked though without the wall (and sometimes with it), so should I be concerned about that having an impact on the final product?