# Walking to heel - tips needed



## Rocky's mum (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi,
I'm starting some very basic heel work with Rocky, literally 5 paces, praise, reward and only 5 mins max at a time. 

Although I can see progress when we are 'training' should I keep doing a bit on our long flexi line walks. I don't necessarily need him to heel other than when we are near roads, but I just wonder how you guys taught your walking to heel.

Also the recall. Our puppy class instructor has taught us to have a rattling bag (crisp packet type) with high value treats and shout the dogs name followed by 'sweeties' 

He shows some response to this, but I'm not convinced that this will work with distractions, or other dogs.

There is so much experience on here, I would find it really interesting to see how you taught these basic manners.

FYI Rocky is almost 20 weeks old, male, very food orientated, loves all people and desperately wants to play with all dogs, no matter how big or small.:hug:


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Rocky's mum said:


> Hi,
> I'm starting some very basic heel work with Rocky, literally 5 paces, praise, reward and only 5 mins max at a time.
> 
> Although I can see progress when we are 'training' should I keep doing a bit on our long flexi line walks. I don't necessarily need him to heel other than when we are near roads, but I just wonder how you guys taught your walking to heel.
> ...


Sorry you didn't get any responses. I almost don't want to answer you, as I'm a rookie myself. 

I can tell you what I/we were taught, anyway!

I'd dump the Flexi. In fact, I think I'd place it in the road, where it is sure to be run over.  All those things seem to do is encourage the dog to run willy nilly all over the place, besides the fact that they hurt when they get wrapped! I'd never use one with a pup. Maybe a well trained older dog, but I still wouldn't let it out the 25 or whatever feet they will extend.

We were taught heel by having a treat in the left hand, letting the dog sniff it and know it is there and taking however many steps. Then raising the treat up to get them to sit on stopping.

Here's a super short vid of us working on it back in February. Keep in mind, he was about eight *months* old by then!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU4MKEzzSpg&feature=plcp

That's awesome that your dog is food motivated - it'll make training much easier!

I don't know about the rattling bag thing, nor the sweetie thing, but I'll just say only that the point of making it work with distraction is working up to dealing with distractions. No, it won't hold up for a 20 week old. But you can add those distractions slowly. You're just building a foundation for it now -- distractions will come later.

Good luck! Hopefully this'll bump this up for more opinions!


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

One thing that i would highly recommend is teaching your dog a "Focus" or "Look" command above all else. I.E. get him to know to look and keep looking at you eventually no matter what! Very kety command as your dog (like mine) will NOT learn much if he/she is not capable of paying attention to you in any circumstances.

Some dogs will take to this command very easily and quickly learn it while others will take longer.

Look it up here on the forum and you will find a number of good ways to teach it. If your dog is so food oriented it will be much easier to train. Start at home and gradually work up to outside in low distraction areas and move slowly up into higher and higher distractions (and also add distance into your training).


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I made it into a game, used treats, and started to train first off leash in a safe area. I put a treat in a my hand and held my hand up by my waist. Walked along - pup smelled treat - came - gave treat. First couple of short sessions. Then I started to walk a little before giving the treat - pup followed got treat. Then I progressed to turning a bit - changing directions. He caught on quick and would come by my side whenever I put my hand by my waist. I did start to add the voice command with the hand signal - then proceeded to use the voice command alone. I always made it fun - heeling meant fun and we're going places. Then I started with on leash - a 6 ft. leash - let him "go easy" so he could sniff for a while - then I would cheerfully say heel - start off in another direction with treat - which he would come to get. For distractions, I would see one (say a squirrel) up ahead quick - treat in hand turn fast - give reward. For the sitting part - since he knew the hand signal for sit - I would hold a treat in my thumb - and he got that when he sat. I would change pace (walk fast, jog, circle) to keep his attention. And would alternate the heeling with the go easy walk time.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

Second the "look" or "focus" training. My trainer started my dog with that and I just reinforce the behavior whenever I can. For example, i say "sit", the dog not only have to sit but also look at me before she gets rewarded. Before she gets her food, she has do "down" and also look into my eyes. Gradually I lengthen the "look" time before treats are given. Now she stares at me a lot... haha. We have staring contests. This helps her focus on you, rather than the treat in your hand or the fun stuff going on around her. In the beginning, I'd just sit in front of her and treat and mark every time she looks at me. The dog will catch on very quick, and soon your dog will sit in front of you and stare to get you to treat her. This is very helpful because when you want her to heel and she looks at you too, then it's less likely she'll be distracted by other things. It'd be very hard for her to stare at you and stare at another dog at the same time. This is also wonderful when teaching her other things if she knows she needs to look at you while doing it instead of that other dog walking by.


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## jakes mom (Feb 29, 2012)

I know a lot of members don't like the flexi leads - but used well they are great asset. I love mine and it allows our dog freedom when not near the road. 

Take a look at the videos on both of the sites below - they not only advice on loose leash walking, but recall and most other training problems as well.

You don't have to use the clicker if you don't want to, I just use praise and occasional treats. 

Free Video List

Clicker Training Dog Tutorials (Free)
_________
Sue


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i taught heel everytime i leashed my pup. i didn't give
him a command because he was 9 weeks old but i
kept him on my left side. i use to walk up and down 
the hallway, up and down the driveway, in the back
yard, etc. i would take 5 to 10 steps keeping the pup 
on the left. i take a few steps and stop. whenever i started
walking i would lead off with my left leg. i kept the pups head
close to my right knee. when the pup got older i started
saying "heel" and keeping in him in position, the position
he was always kept in. when i added the verbal command
it was easy for my pup because he was always in a heel position.
the reason l led off with my left leg i was teaching him
when i lead off with my left leg he "heels". when i lead
off with my right leg he "stays". when i taught him to
stay it worked with the right leg lead. once he learns
left leg "heel" and right leg "stay" you can mix in verbal commands
or use your legs as leads. i also taught him to heel
on either side with or without a leash. i always add in distractions
slowly. once my dog starts to learn the command i add in distractions.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i taught my dog "other side" because i thought it went
along with "heel". no matter which side my dog is on
if i say "other side" he switches sides. this command
comes in handy when you're approaching things
and you want your dog on the other side of you.


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## Rocky's mum (Apr 12, 2012)

Thankyou so much for all of your tips! They are really constructive and helpful. 

As luck would have it, I have taught the focus and he picked it up really quickly. I started by holding treats out to the side and when he sat and then looked me in the eye I would praise and reward him! I just never thought to do that whilst heeling, so I'll def start introducing focus to heel work. 

From 8 weeks old he has been taught to "wait" for his dinner. I can get a good 40 secs+ out of him, behind stairgate or kennel door now and he looks me in the eye hoping for the nod or "go on"

I will look at the videos right now, many thanks:hug:


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

You have gotten tons of really awesome advice, but I wanted to throw my 2 cents in.. When training Titan I basically went for "walks" down my street and back, if that. I used a head collar but it's the same concept in a normal lead. I would start walking and if he tugged at all I would stop immediately and say "here" and at first he was confused and he got frustrated and came back and sat next to me. After he sat.. treat.. then start walking again. Any tension, stop said "here" and he would sit next to me. (granted the first few times he was confused and just sat at of pure confusion I'm sure) Basically the concept was that if there is tension, he goes no where. If there is a loose leash, we go somewhere. He's awesome on walks now and I don't use the head collar anymore unless I'm in a high traffic environment because I didn't do the following....



codmaster said:


> One thing that i would highly recommend is teaching your dog a "Focus" or "Look" command above all else.


This is what we are working on now. I say "Eyes" and the intent is for him to look at me. I wish wish wish I did this when he was a puppy. I am regretting it now because he is so easily distracted. I would highly highly encourage working with yours on this. It will really help with any training you do here after.



doggiedad said:


> i taught my dog "other side" because i thought it went
> along with "heel". no matter which side my dog is on
> if i say "other side" he switches sides. this command
> comes in handy when you're approaching things
> and you want your dog on the other side of you.


On that note.. I am trying to work with Titan on that too.. He is trained on my right side and I can get him most of the time to walk on my left, by no command just pointing but he won't stay there.. always veering back to the right. I don't like that. How did you train yours?


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

doggiedad said:


> i taught my dog "other side" because i thought it went
> along with "heel". no matter which side my dog is on
> if i say "other side" he switches sides. this command
> comes in handy when you're approaching things
> and you want your dog on the other side of you.


This is so great! I had taught my dog "other side" when I brush him and want him to get up and turn around so I can do the other side. I had never thought of using it with heel until I read this. So today, there he was heeling on the left, when I said "other side" - he promptly switched over. I agree it is so convenient when someone is approaching on the left.


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