Actually, there is a difference between luring and them pushing into your hand and driving for the food.
With the luring, I have not had much success, however, with them pushing for the food, they not only learned the muscle memory to keep their head up over long distances but they also started to collect themselves earlier.
I basically have all the videos from the very beginning until now, how we started off with the training, like from how she learned sit, down, stand etc up until now. The reason it took so much longer for us to get where we are now is because off all the breaks we've had in between. Now that we have a regular training group, it's like "BOOM BOOM BOOM!" you can see the progress.
This is from the early beginnings of how we started heeling. Including crate games, formal re-call, perching, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5lWxHHaF2M&feature=relmfu
This was a little after that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--pyhuUJg1U&feature=channel&list=UL
Than to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rk_Kdx8J0U&feature=channel&list=UL
After that I switched from DZ to Marcus Hamptons Training Group (ps: not because I don't like DZ, she is absolutely amazing but because I needed a regular training group)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AohgGLfVdg&feature=channel&list=UL
Basically last training session before we switched to the ball, you can already see how we mixed the ball with the food
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg0i3nYTmJE&feature=channel&list=UL
However, it also depends what kind of toy you use. Those rope balls are fun but I don't like handling them in obedience. I like the hard balls with a short rope much much better.
First steps with the ball instead of the food and you can see that I used my right hand instead of having the ball underneath my arm pit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ5EqF5G6eo&feature=channel&list=UL
And now it is like this. Much easier with having the ball underneath the arm pit. Believe me, it was a trial to switch to the ball because she is so driven and I believe I sent like a message to Elisabeth, Liesje etc. because she tore up my hands and I was green and blue and almost walked crying off the field because of it. LOL
Now, with the right ball, the right technique... OMG SUCH A DIFFERENCE!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haJtYYHeKeo&feature=channel&list=UL
Anyhow, not sure if that helps, but that's how we started out, and I believe, a solid foundation is the key. The right trainers or a good spotter and a solid foundation.