Week 2 Lured Heeling Step 1

 Equipment Needed: 6’ Leash, Training Collar, OR a Slip Lead 



Explanation and Goal of Exercise: The goal of heeling is to have your dog in an exact position for ease of movement in a busy city, or when you are bringing in the groceries, or just so you don't trip over your dog. Heeling also keeps your dog focused on you rather than jumping on an interesting human or dog OR becoming snarky with a passing stranger or strange dog. 

Also teaches the owner the concept of slack leash = more control. So that the opposition reflex of a taunt reach does not kick in OR the formula for aggression that restraint + frustration = aggression. We are teaching the dog to decide correctly and be focused on their "job". A dog's job can be as simple as allowing for a stress-free walk in the city. 

 

Due to the configuration of training collars and the need to pick a side, generally heeling is on the left-hand side of the handler, dog is ideally a foot away from the handler, their shoulders should be around where your hip is if it went straight down, and their head should be a bit in front so you can see it peripherally. 

Lured Heeling Step 1 Directions:

STEP 1:  Lure your puppy or dog into a sit in heel position (puppy's shoulder should line up with your leg) on the side of you and facing in the same direction as you. When sitting in position, you can give your puppy the food reward. 

STEP 2: Before heeling, be sure to have a food reward in your left hand. 

STEP 3:  Now you want to stand straight (unless you have a low to the ground dog, then hunch over a bit) with the treat now held above your dog's or puppy’s nose. Remember that you still are luring your dog or puppy into the heel position that you want. Arm should be extended slightly in front of you (not off to the side) to lure your puppy's head forward straight and slightly beyond your leg. 

STEP 4: Say "heel" and step forward with your left foot. Your treat hand should be held slightly in front of your dog’s or puppy's nose.  

STEP 5: Go 5 steps forward to start. If your dog or puppy walks or veers away, be sure to lure or jolly the dog or puppy back into position. Be sure to mark good position with the marker word “Good”. 

STEP 6: Come to a stop as you lure your puppy into a sit on the side of you. (A wall can also be used to keep the puppy from swinging out). 

STEP 7: Now you can say the marker release word “Yes” as you give them the food reward. Give the food reward at the position you want your dog to be in.  

STEP 8: Repeat. Do 10 or 15 reps (strings of five good steps in a row, sit, five good steps in a row, sit) of this. Or just a few minutes of this at each session. As you go forward, you will increase the steps. When you are later ready to increase the distraction level, you will decrease the steps to 5 again. 

 

 © 2024 Robin Rubin DBA Mannerly Mutts 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 1 Sits First Command (with food reward method)

 Goal and Purpose of This Exercise:  We need a reliable sit in distractions to advance the training or change the unwanted behavior or your dog.    Equipment Needed:  Training Collar, Leather Leash, and Food Reward STEP 1:  Walk with your dog STEP 2:  Stop before doing anything STEP 3:  Say the command "Sit" STEP 4A:  If your dog completes the command correctly, say the praise marker word ("Good"), then use the release marker word ("Yes") as you give the food reward. STEP 4B:  If your dog does not sit, just set your dog up again and show them that you have the food reward.   You can also move him again under this method. STEP 5:  Repeat until you get four in a row 3 times without needing to cajole or give them a verbal correction OR after 15 minutes.   
Read more

Week 1 Notes, Homework, and Video

Image
     NOTE 1:  ALL TRAINING SHOULD BE DONE WITH TRAINING COLLAR AND TRAINING LEASH ON. NOTE 2:   DO NOT LEAVE TRAINING COLLAR OR TRAINING SLIP LEAD ON WHEN YOU ARE NOT ACTIVELY TRAINING YOUR DOG. NOTE 3:  PLEASE PUT ON YOUR TRAINING COLLAR CORRECTLY.  ALSO BE SURE TO HOLD THE LEASH CORRECTLY. This is a link to a leash article on our business blog.  Leashes How to Hold Them and How to Fold Them . NOTE 4:  EVERYTHING THIS WEEK SHOULD BE DONE IN LOW AND EASY DISTRACTION (INSIDE IN A QUIET AREA). NOTE 5:   THE GOALS ARE PLACES TO WORK TO IN THE FUTURE.  IF YOU DON'T MAKE THE GOAL, DON'T WORRY AS LONG AS YOU PUT IN THE WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL ME WITH ANY TRAINING PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN BETWEEN LESSONS. NOTE 6:  IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH ALL THE EXERCISES IN ONE DAY, YOU CAN JUST BE SURE THAT THE EXERCISES YOU DID NOT GET TO ARE DONE THE NEXT DAY.   THE MOS...
Read more

Week 1 Sit On The Dog

 Exercise: Sit on The Dog (do not confuse with the down exercise later on)  Equipment needed: Metal Training Collar, 6' leather lead, chair for handler to sit on that they aren't too worried about (IE an antique chair would not be a good idea, especially for a dog that might try to chew something other than their toy while you aren't watching), silence from the handler which means no verbal commands, praise, or corrections. Also, no conversations of any sort with your dog. NOTE:  THIS CAN ALSO BE DONE WITH A SLIP LEAD, TRANSITIONAL LEAD (NO NOSE LOOP), OR NYLON SLIP COLLAR INSTEAD OF THE METAL CHAIN TRAINING COLLAR AND 6’ LEATHER LEASH.   A FLAT COLLAR CAN BE USED IF IT IS SNUGGED UP SO IT CAN NOT GET OVER THE DOG’S HEAD. Objective and Goals: This exercise starts the leadership portion of dog training in a very non-confrontational way. You are defining the space and activity that the dog will inhabit while you are engaged in other activities. It starts the proce...
Read more