# Go to heel position



## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

One of the exercises we are working on is for the dog to find heel position. Working great from a front finish and from a step ahead and call the dog to heel. I even leave her in a sit/stay step behind her and go in the opposite direction and call her to heel. I've even told he to heel while she was in a heel position just to see what she would do - she redid the heel.

How do I teach her to find heel position when I leave her in a sit, step a few feet to the right side of her and call her to heel without the dog crossing in front into a heel poition. (as in a finish exercise). If I were moving forward ever so slowly she could trip me. If I were moving forward fast, she would just come up to my left hand side.

I've seen this in a you tube video, but can no longer find it.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

You could always use food to lure (and reinforce) her into the correction position..


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Try getting her to move up to you one step at a time. Start by having her sit in the heel position, with eye contact. Have her stay, move up one step, lure her up into position with food and have her sit. Start with this until she moves up and sits automatically without any food lure.
Start by just stepping forward, so she only has to move up straight. You can practice this against a wall, or other obstacle, to help her stay straight. 

then I would start doing one, two, three steps, still just moving out forward straight. When she is solid with that, I would start stepping out forward and to the right a bit. She may need some food-luring/reinforcing to reward her when she gets the new movement down pat. She may be confused, go back to what she used to do, or just move up straight and be off your leg. In either case, I would use the food lure to get her in the right position. If she moves up ahead and gets past the correct heel position, use the food to get her to move back a bit and in next to your leg. 

Best way to prevent her moving past you, is that when you start moving out sideways, and calling her to heel, have the food ready and visible in your hand so you can guide her correctly. I would stop doing front finishes completely for the next couple of weeks or so, so that she does not confuse the two different exercises. (hey, you know she's got that one down pat!!!).

Good luck!


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