I've just began teaching my seven month old puppy the heel. I'm first starting with getting him to follow me and getting his attention with his kong. He's got good focus and high prey for it.
What I do is first show him the kong and say "fuss". Then I start walking in a small circle to the right, holding the ball up by my right shoulder. My dog seeing this gets into drive and starts following me in the fuss position. The problem is that he gets a little too excited and jumps up and tries to get it. Should i put a leash on him and pop him when he does this or should I just continue to do this and just call him back to "fuss" when after he lands? My fear is that if I start correcting this now(I haven't corrected him yet in training) he might go down in drive.
I am assuming you are working your dog from the Flinks tape?
If your dog is jumping for the ball then you need to back up and work on focusing more. Watch the tape again, Ed has a pretty clear picture of where the dog needs to be in the focus work to start heeling. At 7 months you still have plenty of time.
I have watched that tape several times and everytime I pick up on something I could be doing better in my handling.
If you have not bought the tape and want to work your dog in drive with a toy, I highly recommend it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I agree but I think its ok to do short sessions of heeling. I use a piece of burlap on a string and I to hold to my shoulder or chest. I then walk briskly in a circle, but I have a short leash on the dog. I wouldnt pop him, but more restrain the dog. The dog is going to jump but eventually it will go away. I do this for a couple of steps maybe at the most ten feet, then I drop the burlap in the front of the dog and then we play tug of war. Then after the dog couters on the burlap I let him win it. I also incorparte working on the out and leave it command not alot but sometimes. This way your working on multiple things but not killing the dogs drive. Be patient though if you feel that the dog is not ready for all of it then back up a little. Short but intense is the best way to describe it, but I would also incorprate focus work to. I am doing this with my pup thats 4 months old, and its comming along nicely. Hope this helps.
Ed's tape, "Competition Heeling," with Tom Rose, and The Flinks tapes all talk about using food of the ball. A lot of dogs have to much drive for the ball. Toms tape shows him giving the reward after just a step or two with a dog just starting to heel. Slowly add distance and get straight heeling down before any turns are added. The Flinks tape shows almost identical procedure. The Rose tape shows more cumpulsion.
I have been trying all of the Flinks exercises with my terriers(practice when I get a working GSD). I never taught them to formally heel because in the field all I require is for them to keep close. My dogs are 11, 9, 6, and even the old guy is loving this new game. I use food because their drive "toy" is a fox tail. When they see that, they become three bottle rocket.
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