Re-learning heel work...

[countryboy]

Morning all,

Having seen the recent thread regarding the teaching of heeling I felt compelled to ask the community for some help!

My 2 year old lab needs to re-lean heelwork, she is walking too far ahead and no matter what I seem to try i've clearly engrained her to walk 2 paces to far forward. I probably say heel more times than I say her name and it's driving me insane, she knows what it means - scolding her brings her back in line, but after a few steps she's in front again.

I've tried doing a few steps then waiting, treats, pulling back, changing direction - she just defaults to 2 steps ahead of where she should be. I was thinking of using a different word and starting again from scratch - suggestions?

Many thanks

CB

[Naj]

Do you mean that there is a gap of 2 paces between you & the dog at heel?

[countryboy]

I mean she is 2 paces in front of me and to be honest she's not overly close to my leg. Her stomach and hind legs are by my knee. When I check her back on the lead, she will re-adjust and drop back but she just will not remain at heel!! aggghhh!!!!

[Judy]

Have you been doing a lot of training for walk ups? My dog tended to inch forward so that they could mark the dummy, clever but, like you, not what I wanted!

As she creeps ahead turn sharp right so that she is at heel again, or, if you are feeling mean, turn sharp left but don't stand on her feet / fall over her! Throw memories over her head and slightly behind so she has to slow to mark them, be unpredictable except when she is in the right place for a while.

[countryboy]

Have you been doing a lot of training for walk ups? My dog tended to inch forward so that they could mark the dummy, clever but, like you, not what I wanted!

As she creeps ahead turn sharp right so that she is at heel again, or, if you are feeling mean, turn sharp left but don't stand on her feet / fall over her! Throw memories over her head and slightly behind so she has to slow to mark them, be unpredictable except when she is in the right place for a while.

Thanks Judy,

Yes she inches even further forward when doing walk up - quivering with excitement!

I've tried about turns, turning into her etc, she just isnt learning...

[Naj]

This seems quite a natural position for most (all the ones I've had, at least ) experienced dogs to take when heeling, because most of them will naturally migrate there. I have no problem with it & practically speaking it offers an advantage in that the dog has a better view of what's going on about it. Providing that it is reliable in this position I don't worry about it. You can fall out big time in trying to get it to perform with nose glued to leg & it will still likely slip back into its favoured position. But that's no excuse for the dog continually taking in more ground &/or having to be nagged to keep position, whatever that might be. If it's 'quivering with excitement' then that would likely be more the answer to your problem. The dog may have become 'trial wise' or been inadvertently allowed to slip into too excitable a mind-set when under these conditions. Rather than fighting with it over the heel command you may be better putting your time into conditioning it to walk quietly & calmly while in a 'walk-up' situation.

Naj

[countryboy]

Thanks very much, how would you suggest conditioning her to remain calm then?

[Naj]

The answer with all dogs that are exhibiting problem behaviour due to being in an (over) excited state is not to reward the behaviour. So for starters I would never again send her for a retrieve until she is in a calm & settled state of mind. Is she like this only in a walk-up or group situation or is she the same when doing retrieving work on your own? In the walk-up situation you describe do you find that she has difficulty in focussing on you &/or you have problems getting her full attention, or is she totally focussed &/or almost on a hair-trigger?

Naj

[Miff]

I probably say heel more times than I say her name and it's driving me insane, she knows what it means - scolding her brings her back in line, but after a few steps she's in front again.

The above could be the reason. She is blanking the command. Say 'heel' once and expect her to be there. Put in loads of turns/quick turns. Dont say it (heel) again until/unless you have given another command 'e.g. sit when the heel command has to be said again. You have/may have become too predictable/boring in the way you teach this. Your frustration wont help either. She understands the command 'heel' but doesn't understand that she must remain (duration) in that position. If you really examine what has happened you may well find that she has been gradually creeping ahead and nothing has happened (no consequences). You only became irritated by it when it really mattered or when you noticed it.

[Andrew]

Where's the dog's body in relation to your knee, 2 paces to far is a bit of an ambiguous description to my mind Sorry just saw the earlier post with a better description.