Heel Work

[Gazelle1000]

How to teach a determined puller to come to heel

Taken from an article written by Ian Clinton, in this week's Shooting Times.

1. They key to success is first to get the dog to be able to walk by your side with a slack and loose lead. Once this is achieved, it is a simple step from there to successful heel-work and focus without a lead.

2. First, teach the dog to stop pulling forward and dropping its head. I do this by changing the slip lead into a halter slip lead. Some dogs may find this a little strange at first and use a paw to try to dislodge the nose loop. The tactic to prevent this is to get walking and keep the dog occupied. Walk quickly and talk to the dog with reassurance and praise.

3. Within a very short time, I find the dog has accepted this fitting and will keep its head up and close to your knee, needing only a slight correcting tweak with the left hand. Change direction with about-turns and keep moving. Praise the dog for the right reaction and heel position. After several sessions of this new approach, the dog should begin to learn where it should be when walking on the lead, regardless of your pace and movement. A natural consequence of this method is that the dog will not pull ahead or keep putting its head to the floor.

4. When this new regime is becoming established, you will also note that the standing part of the lead remains slack and you are walking with a loose lead.

5. While moving, allow the lead to touch the dog's back and let go, then command the dog to heel and keep walking. If all is well, you are now walking with the dog at heel without holding the lead.

6. In time, you can remove the nose loop to check that walking to heel has become established. If there is any regression in behaviour reapply the loop and continue the correction training. Keep using this technique for several training sessions; it does not require any harsh handling, just reassurance and praise when the dog is getting its position right. The dog will also pay far more attention to you and will be reluctant to lower its head to the ground or wander about and pull. All you need to do to apply any correction is to give a slight tweak to the lead with your left hand if it moves out of heel position.



Chris

[Gazelle1000]

So in a nutshell place the slip lead loosely around the dog then with the loose section below the chin complete a figure of 8 then place over the dogs snout then tighten up

[Rascal]

For reference, original topic here.....viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16258&p=186365#p186240

Rascal