Leslie, that's great. I think I would like to try that method. Did you use the prong or a flat collar?
I would like to not have to rely on the prong for a nice walk (which I definately do now...)

 Quote: Leslie Downey

Today went much better. It took us several minutes to get out of the driveway and we only walked in front of a couple of houses. We zigged, we zagged. He definitely gets it, he anticipates the turns. It was by far the longest we walked in one direction without a pull.

Nice keep it up, make it so both of you are having fun with it. It sounds like it is already making a difference, Bravo!!

I used the prong collar. I can't really take him out of the house (except in the fenced back yard) without it. All he needs is to see a squirrel and he's off and I know he'd chase cars as well.
Tried it again last night and he did super. Just wondering how it will transition to actually getting someplace. A visitor pulled up to my house and it took me a few mins to get there from 5 houses away.
How do I make the transition, do I start naming it?

 Quote: leslie downey

Tried it again last night and he did super. Just wondering how it will transition to actually getting someplace. How do I make the transition, do I start naming it?

Does he know a marker word or have you done any clicker training with him?

Myself I use markers basically a intermediate bridge and a terminal bridge not unlike exotic animal trainers would use. I picked up on the technique from Kayce Cover a animal communication specialist who has trained dolphins and also monkeys to help disabled people. This is her website, IMHO there is ground breaking stuff here. http://www.synalia.com/ Ivan Balbanov uses similar techniques but more related to K9. It has worked wonders with my obedience with my dog.

The way Kayce explained it to me via email and her manual, in the short form.

What we call markers, are technically called bridges. There are two kinds, Terminal Bridges (TB's) and Intermediate Bridges (IB's). Terminals tell the animal he is finished. Intermediates tell the animal he is on the way to success, but he is not finished yet, until he hears the Terminal Bridge.

The Intermediate Bridges mark the whole path to the desired behavior, kind of like Hansel and Gretel left a bread crumb trail to find their way home. As a result, instead of giving the animal one point of information only (the Terminal Bridge) we are telling them ALL they did right.

So i.e. I'm playing follow the leader with my dog. She is heeling away .. I give the IB in my case "ggggood gggood gggirl" and randomly treat and give my TB which is "YES" and move back into the IB word as we heel away. But if she starts to forge or lag. I do the change of direction and go "aah aaah" with possibly a leash pop to get her attention once she is in proper position I go back into my IB all along talking to her giving praise when and where it is warranted. The more you do it the easier it gets.


My French Ring coach (training director) says it is all about the mind game not about hard leash corrections or negative consequence reactions. Hard to grasp it sometimes still I admit. I totally had/have to change my outlook on what I thought was good training techniques.

He knows "yes" as a marker. I tried the good boy before and that was a signal for him - "ok now I can go". I will try it again now that he is heeling better. The corrections definitely didn't work- when I think of how many times I corrected him-ugh. It was like he was pulling a cart, in his mind it was what he was supposed to do no matter how I held him back or corrected him.