Katie, here's a video of Claudia Romard doing some left leg awareness training that may help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdxatQkfVgc

 Quote: Sarah Mandler

Katie, here's a video of Claudia Romard doing some left leg awareness training that may help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdxatQkfVgc

Similar to the IVAN B method. I get a kick out of watching people's reactions when I foose backwards across my front lawn.
Heeling/Foosing is all about the dog's position with the left leg.

Thanks to you both! I've been trying to get him just to find my left leg (though not today, because he's been sick). When he goes to my left leg on his own, he sits perpendicular to me (big words!). So he faces me, but sits at my left leg.

If I tell him nope, he goes back to the front of me. So I've still been luring him. I think it's just going to take some time and patience.

Great thread. Thanks for starting it, katie. I'm learning a lot along with you.

Question. Some people I know with Toy Breeds start out with the right leg when heeling because they say the dog seems to do better than with the left. Has anyone any experience with this? Gracie's my first Toy Breed dog so I want to use whatever would work best.

I use the left with both.


eta

I hadn't heard about toy breeds maybe being different, though, so I can't say I ever tried the right leg with a Pug. Do you know what the reasoning is?




Edited by Connie Sutherland (11/27/2010 12:57 PM)
Edit reason: eta

I hadn't heard about toy breeds being taught on a different leg first, either. I wonder why that would be.

All I can think is size. But I have taught plenty of small non-toys (JRTs, Border Terriers) the usual left-leg way. So maybe it's not size?

I'm interested. Elaine, where are you! We want to know

I'm going to pick up with the left leg marking tomorrow, assuming Conan hold down dinner tonight like he did breakfast. Then I can get some more video!

 Quote: Katie Finlay

I'm interested. Elaine, where are you! We want to know

I'm going to pick up with the left leg marking tomorrow, assuming Conan hold down dinner tonight like he did breakfast. Then I can get some more video!

Sorry, I work nights so generally get on during a break at night.
I'll have to ask about that. I know my breeder, who shows TFTs in obedience (as well as other venues) learned to do that but I forget why. I'm guessing it has something to do with the dog being in better heeling position. I know she learned it from another trainer. Any way I'll ask her about it.

OK, got the answer and it does make good sense imho.

" The logic behind starting out with your right foot has to do with the size of the heel zone on the dog. Most judges will "give" a handling team a certain degree of leeway slightly forward of or slightly behind the point of the dog's right shoulder when determining correct heel position. A dog is considered to be forging when its shoulder is readily visible in front of the handler's leg or to be lagging when the shoulder is readily visible behind the handler's leg. On a large dog, this acceptable heel zone can be quite large--up to six or more inches.

The small dog handler is at a disadvantage, because the acceptable heel position shrinks to about an inch or two. Worse, when you start by moving your left foot forward, the left leg swinging forward from a "halt" position creates the illusion that your dog is lagging at the start. Some judges will dun points for this "lagging," particularly if the competition is keen or if they are unaware of the optical illusion. With a very small dog it's best to just start by swinging your right foot forward, displaying your dog in correct heel position from the start. After all, why do anything that may or may not cost points each and every time you're starting from a halt--typically six or more times in any event?

Kimberly Egan
LoupGarou (mostly) Toy Fox Terriers"