Proper heeling position (in motion)

[elisabeth_00117]

Okay, I am confusing myself and Stark I think....

I use the command "fuss" when I want him to sit at my left side, looking at me ("watch me command").

When I am ready to walk, I use the word "let's go" but I also use that word when he is lagging behind, or if he didn't "heir" fast enough.

So now when I say, "let's go" he tends to run or pull ahead when on leash.

Yes, dumb-dumb me just realized this was the reason he was/is pulling...

I have been using the word "easy" when he pulls and he does respond to this by slowing his pace but I am having an impossible time getting the proper heeling position out of him at this point and I think it is due to me, actually I know it is!

We have our first 'test' in our obedience class this week so I would really like to nail it. His sitz, heirs, bring, bliebs, fuss, etc. are great it's just the proper heeling we need to work on, details is what it is because he does walk nice on a leash 99.9% of the time.

Any suggestions?

Am I asking too much at this time?

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117I use the command "fuss" when I want him to sit at my left side, looking at me ("watch me command").

When I am ready to walk, I use the word "let's go" but I also use that word when he is lagging behind, or if he didn't "heir" fast enough.

So now when I say, "let's go" he tends to run or pull ahead when on leash.

Heel is heel whether you're moving or stationary, it's a position at your side. I use "let's go" too, but to me, that's something other than strict heel position, it's what I use when I want a loose leash, but don't care that much about where the dog is as long as s/he's within a couple of feet in any direction.

I don't plan on competing in obedience, so it doesn't matter so much for me, but I did lots of drills with Halo where I had her in a front position and then brought her to heel. If I remained standing in place, she was to come to heel and sit at my side, if I started walking forward as soon as she was in heel position she was to move with me, and then sit automatically at heel when I stopped walking.

ETA: And no, I don't think you're asking too much of him. Halo was around the same age when we were working on it. I think you just need to decide what each command means, and to use it ONLY for that so he's clear on what you're asking him to do.

[Virginia]

When teaching the fuss I think it helps to have a treat (or toy) to lure him into the correct position.

The way I was taught was to have a nice smelly treat in your first, with just a tiny bit sticking out the back of your closed fist. Walk with your first at your side (by the seams of your pants), and let your pup nibble at the food in your hand as he walks alongside of you. That way, he won't rush to get ahead of you since the food is poking out the back of your fist, and he can't get to it if he's too far ahead. He also won't lag behind because then he can't reach the food. This teaches him the proper position because in reality that's what "fuss" is...a position, by your side, not the motion of heeling itself.

For heads up heeling I would ramp him up with a ball or tug, stick it under my arm and have him fuss next to me. When he consistently looked up and watched me, he would be rewarded by the tug falling out and a quick game. Bodie's always been obsessed with staring at me, in almost a stalkerish way, so even before we brought in the toy for heads up heeling, he would fuss alongside of me and watch my face.

[Strana1]

I would be careful at what commands you are using. I use the heel command for being at my left side and sit for when we stop, that way sit is always sit you are not giving 1 position multiple commands. Heel is always Heel (or Fuss) this includes changing speeds and directions, heel means to be at your left side always, no matter what the speed or direction, so it is one command. Heel is a movement command and sit is a stationary command.

To prevent him from pulling ahead do lots and lots of left and right U turns so that you are changing directions when he forges ahead, and don't wait until it is a tug of war. Turn as soon as he started to pull even if it is only a few feet forward.

Another exercise my trainer uses is a foundation exercise. This exercise is silent and the purpose is to have the dog learn to pay attention to you without a verbal command. Put the dog on a 15-20 foot leash and go into an open area. Let your dog go to the end of the lead, sniff around whatever. When your dog's attention is not on you, you turn and move in the opposite direction of your dog, silently, letting your movement take up the slack and bring him in your direction. Everytime his attention goes somewhere else change directions. Remember this is a silent exercise and itis not heel. He is not expected to be at your left side, but to pay attentionto you and watch for your movement and follow you.

Turns and attention exercise will have him payingre attention to you because he will not know what is coming and should help tremdously with the pulling and lagging.

[elisabeth_00117]

I would like to compete in the future, but just for fun, I am not too concered with titles or anything.

So, the dog won't get confused when you use "fuss" as both a motion and stationary command? That is my worry.

[Jason L]

Ok, this may sound like cheating - but if I were you, I find out how many steps Stark needs to heel in the test. I would then add at least 10 more steps to that number. And that's what I would train Stark for. Pretty - prancing - look meaningfully into your eyes - heeling for X amount of steps. Put that on cue and that's your heel.

Work on loose leash stuff separately. Don't ask him to "fuss" when you guys are just walking. He already walks nicely 99% percent of the time anyway.

This way you make him understand when we are "fussing", it's not loose leash walking. Instead we are doing our "pretty" walk and he doesn't have to do it forever (like a mile or something like that), just X amounts of steps.

[Strana1]

Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117I would like to compete in the future, but just for fun, I am not too concered with titles or anything.

So, the dog won't get confused when you use "fuss" as both a motion and stationary command? That is my worry.

Personally I think that is why sit should be sit and heel should heel. When we are doing heeling work we mark every change of pace and direction with heel and every stop with sit. We also do sits out of motion and then call to heel, were we are heeling and sit our dogs, then continue to walk (without them) and then call them to heel as we continue to walk. I think it is very clear to the dogs that sit is a put your butt on the ground and don't move command and heel is a be on my left command. This is how my trainer does it and many of her students compete (and win) in Rally and Obedience.

[elisabeth_00117]

That is kinda what we are doing.

The only time he is "fussing" is when we are training or in class. The rest of the time he is just loose leash walking, sniffing, being his crazy little self.

My trainer is a smart women and is unpredictable so I have no clue how long the course will be or what will be involved exactly. Darn women! Haha..

And I would like to really have him do this when asked for as long as I ask too, since I would like to compete in the future.

[Virginia]

The way I understand it, fuss is a position. When you are standing still, the dog is sitting next to you on your left, in the heel position. When you are walking, the dog is walking next to you to maintain that position. If you teach it this way you should only need the one command - fuss - which means, be at the heel position to my left.

Maybe think of it as having your dog duct-taped to your left leg - when you aren't moving, he isn't moving, but when you are moving, he has to move too to keep up with you. Disclaimer: do not duct-tape your dog to your leg!

[Castlemaid]

Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117
So, the dog won't get confused when you use "fuss" as both a motion and stationary command? That is my worry.

No, "foos" is a position: on your left side, shoulders in line with your knee, looking up at you and maintaining eye-contact. Once they understand that foos is a position relative to you that they need to maintain, you have it made!

You can repeat the foos command to get Stark to move. Understanding that foos is a position is an advanced abstract concept for a dog and will take a lot of repetitions for Stark to get it. But then again, I'm sure Stark will pick it up in record time, such a smart dog!