# Making heeling fun for your dog



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

In other threads I've posted about teaching drop on recall and how to get good fronts. Here I will share some ideas about helping your dog to enjoy heeling rather than thinking it is a horrible forced march. If all you actually do is practice formal heeling as in a trial I think most dogs will find it either boring or stressful. If you rely too heavily on the leash to try to keep the dog in position then you will be transmitting your feelings, stress, tension, disappointment....down the leash to the dog.

While, of course, there are times when I formally practice heeling I also like to spend a good amount of time making it fun for the dog. To do this I doodle around. I do funny direction changes, odd pace changes, order moving stands, sits and down and then call to heels. We do this off leash so that the responsibility for making decisions about what is being ordered is on the dog. 

I had my mom record this game with Lily at the end of my classes today. I didn't warm her up just before we made the video so the start is a little rough, but you will see that she quickly gets in the groove even though my mom and her dog are there and Javelin is barking his foolish baby head off in the background.

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWYRbcQSTMY


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

Oh what fun to watch this video! I dream of having this kind of close working relationship with Dulcie. My favorite part is when you had Lily in the sit stay and then walked away and when you called her to you she pretty much leapt up and danced over to you!


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Really great to watch, I will never get to that point with these 2. LOL


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

That's quite nice! I got Leslie Nelson's DVD "Heeling for Precision and Fun" and have been working on the exercises that are designed to build muscle memory and "engagement" (a word she prefers to "attention").

This is from a month ago--I'm still treating him to keep his interest up.

(YouTube video)


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

nifty thanks for those nice words. You will get there with Dulcie, she is still young. Remember Lily is seven! Even though she has earned titles of sort sort every year since she turned three she just gets better and better the more time we spend together.

Glorybee thank you to you as well, but don't write off having nice attentive heeling with your girls even if they are not going to do a sport. I know you have tons of experience and even just a few minutes a day of focus pay off it done consistently.

Marguerite, I am doing work using the Brenda Aloff Get Connected activities that sound very similar to what you are doing. I think your heeling is looking quite nice. I think when you practice heeling patterns interspersed with making the obedience ring fun and reducing the stress that many dogs associate with trialing then it all works together for the good.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

So wonderful! I hope that Timi and I can come train with you someday.
Right now it would just be too long a time to leave Teaka alone.?


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## snmim (Sep 7, 2015)

I'm always impressed by Lily, what a great video! The amount of hard work you put into this really shows off, I love the speed in which she changes positions.

I like to do this kind of training all for fun since I do not plan on competing... Mira has just gotten the gist of fronts and tuck sits and has mastered her hind leg awareness. She's no where near this but I agree to make training fun and simple and as they grow they'll get the hang of it


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Mithy said:


> I'm always impressed by Lily, what a great video! The amount of hard work you put into this really shows off, I love the speed in which she changes positions.
> 
> I like to do this kind of training all for fun since I do not plan on competing... *Mira has just gotten the gist of fronts and tuck sits and has mastered her hind leg awareness. She's no where near this but I agree to make training fun and simple and as they grow they'll get the hang of it*



There is a reason it is Lily in the video and not Javelin. He would have just been running around like a silly loon! He is not proofed against things like my mom being there.


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## Dee84cali (Dec 16, 2015)

That's awesome!


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## Axeldog (Aug 29, 2014)

Catherine - I was spending a little training time with Axel today heeling around the house. I then remembered this video you shared. 

I tried the exercise where you down the dog and keep walking then call to heel as you continue to walk. Well, Axel LOVED that. Just this relatively small thing got him totally engaged and charged up. I am such an amateur at this stuff, but I am sure having fun. 

Thanks for your video


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## bura4 (Jul 25, 2010)

Actually, I am inclined to believe my Igor likes heeling. More than any other obedience exercise. :angel:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I've always thought from your pictures that Igor looked like he really loves heeling. Lily does too, but when she starts to look a little less crisp those games I do make a big difference.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

We are starting to work on off leash healing in the yard. Buck is far from crisp, but he maintains good eye contact once we get going. I would also like to get him in the habit of defaulting to my left side, even if we're not heeling so he doesn't cause other collisions in the yard or the house.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Mfmst if Buck gives good eye contact you can encourage him to stay to your left by keeping your left hand at your core with a treat at the ready (keep your restock treats in your right hand or if something you don't mind holding in your mouth keep spare rewards there). As he moves with you and maintains the eye contact for an interval you consider acceptable move your hand down along your hip, keeping it right against your body so he can take the treat while he is in position. When you bring your hand up again reload with another treat from your right hand or your mouth. Keep working to increase the length of time between the rewards and raise the criteria in terms of his position at heel (no lagging, no forging). Randomize the rewards as he gets better and better.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I'm going to switch my training treats to my left pocket also. I do think we can have fun with this if I keep changing up patterns. He heals nicely on a leash, but my objective is off leash and the starts and finishes aren't as easy to get. Thank goodness he's so food oriented.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

As I mentioned earlier, Leslie Nelson's DVD "Heeling for Precision and Fun" has a number of exercises for the very, very start of building attentive heeling. The key, she says, is to build muscle memory and to create the heel position default.

The first exercise is:

Start with your dog at your side
Wait for the dog to look up (don't say anything)
Take one step forward
Deliver treat as stepping or immediately after (deliver while dog is in heel position--Looking up = moving forward = treat)
Repeat 5 or 10 times, then take a break. 

If the dog is still looking at you after you treat, step again. Build up the number of steps between treats slowly.

For small dogs, put your left hand, with treat, at your side, start at your waist and follow the pants seam down to the dog.

I do this while warming up at trials, on our walks, hanging out in the house, and so on and so on. Then you'll get that nice attention that Lily has during longer sessions of heeling. And yes, throwing in games makes it fun too!


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I loved when you called, "Lily Front" and she made a sliding stop in front of you!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Charmed said:


> I loved when you called, "Lily Front" and she made a sliding stop in front of you!


Our flooring is a bit slippery! We wash it fairly often and always before matches and trials. There is a sand and gravel excavation place right near us and there is always a little coating of dust on the floor. When any bigger dog gets up a head of steam their recalls often end with a bit of a slide, drops too.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I bought "Heeling for Precision and Fun" and have started all over. Buck is 2,000 correct heel positions behind! That is exactly what needs to happen first. I am secretly hoping it won't take him that many repetitions to build muscle memory... Love the way she breaks it all down. Correct use of my treat to lure him into position, establishing the eye connection and go. This has been a very helpful DVD for me. Once we knock down the 1,990 I can watch the rest of it Thank you for the recommendation, Marguerite.


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## hellothereitsanna (Jun 7, 2015)

so Jasper was lying next to me while I started playing this video and when he heard your pup barking he leapt up and started growling at the laptop haha. silly boy... thanks for the video though!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Mfmst said:


> I bought "Heeling for Precision and Fun" and have started all over. Buck is 2,000 correct heel positions behind! That is exactly what needs to happen first. I am secretly hoping it won't take him that many repetitions to build muscle memory... Love the way she breaks it all down. Correct use of my treat to lure him into position, establishing the eye connection and go. This has been a very helpful DVD for me. Once we knock down the 1,990 I can watch the rest of it Thank you for the recommendation, Marguerite.


You're welcome! I watched it 4 or 5 times and made notes on the different little drills. I have loaned it to a friend and I may have to ask for it back for a refresher!

I recently got Hannah Brannigan's "Obedience FUNdamentals" but haven't watched any of it yet--it's multiple DVDs. I've met Hannah and her dogs perform beautifully and happily. I guess the holidays have slowed me down.

M


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Whenever I watch videos with dogs that may bark I mute my computer since it will set off barking if my dogs here a video dog barking!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

lily cd re said:


> Whenever I watch videos with dogs that may bark I mute my computer since it will set off barking if my dogs here a video dog barking!



You know, I was going to ask about that - just lately, when I play a dog park video, even if no dogs are barking in it, just the background noise of dogs running around, tags jingling etc, Timi starts growling and barking in her most menacing tone, and I was wondering if this is something that I should be concerned about? She never makes a sound at the dog park other than play noises - even when all the other dogs run to fence fight another dog walking by, she will just silently stand there and watch them until they are done. But then lately since the weather has turned, we don't see many dogs on the small dog side of the park, no abnormal behavior with the occasional one that we see, or fence fighting with the big dogs, actually some fence playing with the big dogs, but I hope that her reaction to the videos does not mean that her attitude towards other dogs is changing! Maybe she just thinks that the video is them invading her home, which is a different matter?


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

If I try to watch any of the PF links, Buck barks his head off. I wish he would watch and learn!!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Mfmst said:


> If I try to watch any of the PF links, Buck barks his head off. I wish he would watch and learn!!



It is the growling and menacing tone that I am hearing from Timi that has me concerned. I hope that does not mean that she is brewing a wariness of other dogs. I have not seen her react that way in real life yet.
But on the other hand, perhaps a certain amount is good - it would be nice when we go back to that playgroup if she would tell Humpty Dumpty off instead of wanting to stay on my lap to avoid him. I just don't want to see her employ it inappropriately - never had a one of my girls do that...


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Tiny Poodles said:


> It is the growling and menacing tone that I am hearing from Timi that has me concerned. I hope that does not mean that she is brewing a wariness of other dogs. I have not seen her react that way in real life yet.
> 
> But on the other hand, perhaps a certain amount is good - it would be nice when we go back to that playgroup if she would tell Humpty Dumpty off instead of wanting to stay on my lap to avoid him. I just don't want to see her employ it inappropriately - never had a one of my girls do that...


Neely has a prejudice, it seems, against black dogs, Labradors, and small dogs up on 2 feet straining toward him on leash.

I try to remember to interpret the grumble growley noise as his way of saying he's uncomfortable, not aggressive, and I put myself between him and the other dog, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'll handle this." Usually that quiets him down.

I've learned in the last few years that the growl is a warning. If the handler punishes a growl, it's like taking the batteries out of the smoke alarm. As a result, the dog will go straight to bite without growling first, because he was punished for the warning.

I take the same action--standing between my dog and another dog--if my dog is barking at the dog, or if the other dog is off leash and getting too close (while I'm yelling my head off, occasionally with foul language, that the owner should leash up the dog NOW).

M


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

mvhplank said:


> Neely has a prejudice, it seems, against black dogs, Labradors, and small dogs up on 2 feet straining toward him on leash.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Boy then he would really hate little black Timi (though she wouldn't be straining to get to him)!
I wonder why videos are suddenly making Timi feel that way though - maybe she thinks it is a home invasion about to happen? I sure hope she does not start doing that to real dogs! Unless of course they deserve it like Humpty Dumpty...


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Boy then he would really hate little black Timi (though she wouldn't be straining to get to him)!
> I wonder why videos are suddenly making Timi feel that way though - maybe she thinks it is a home invasion about to happen? I sure hope she does not start doing that to real dogs! Unless of course they deserve it like Humpty Dumpty...


He recognizes poodles of all sizes and loves them ... and rat terriers, but the ones he doesn't live with definitely don't return the feeling.


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