every freaking single one of my dogs immediately bolts out in front of me when i ask them to heel. they set up nicely, eyes on me, but i say heel and zoom they're gone. attention gone, position gone. luce does it, mushroom does it, now steve does it. i'm so frustrated i could scream and i don't know why it happens or what i'm doing wrong.
help with heeling
- Thread starter elegy
- Start date
Well, at this point it could be that they've learned that "heel" means "bolt."
I'd go back to re-teaching the behavior in a non-distracting environment, without using a cue at all. Then build up distractions until they can do it in a distracting environment, still without using a cue. Then go back to the non-distracting environment, and practice again, this time with a cue. You may find that "heel" will work then, because you've re-built the history of the behavior, or they may remember that "heel"="bolt." In that case, just change the cue, it can be anything.
I know a trainer who, at least in the beginning stages, starts heel with a back up.... So his cue is "heel, back," and then he walks a few steps backward, gets the dog with him mentally, then walks forward. This is another good way to break the pattern your dogs have established.
I'd go back to re-teaching the behavior in a non-distracting environment, without using a cue at all. Then build up distractions until they can do it in a distracting environment, still without using a cue. Then go back to the non-distracting environment, and practice again, this time with a cue. You may find that "heel" will work then, because you've re-built the history of the behavior, or they may remember that "heel"="bolt." In that case, just change the cue, it can be anything.
I know a trainer who, at least in the beginning stages, starts heel with a back up.... So his cue is "heel, back," and then he walks a few steps backward, gets the dog with him mentally, then walks forward. This is another good way to break the pattern your dogs have established.
i'll have to try that. shake things up. thanks.
luce and mushroom both can find heel for certain. i can put them in stays and walk away and turn at various angles and call them to heel and they'll find it. and they don't bolt far, maybe just a couple feet. steve runs out in front with his head pivoted around to look at me if we're in a small place. if i just stop and wait they'll all three of them come back to where they're supposed to be, so i think they have a faint clue of where they're supposed to be.
i'm just frustrated (and hormonal
) and don't understand where i've screwed up.
luce and mushroom both can find heel for certain. i can put them in stays and walk away and turn at various angles and call them to heel and they'll find it. and they don't bolt far, maybe just a couple feet. steve runs out in front with his head pivoted around to look at me if we're in a small place. if i just stop and wait they'll all three of them come back to where they're supposed to be, so i think they have a faint clue of where they're supposed to be.
i'm just frustrated (and hormonal
) and don't understand where i've screwed up.
R
Here are some things I might do:
Do only one step heeling.
Do one step heeling facing a wall leaving yourself only one step plus a tiny bit. Praise proper sits BIG BIG BIG time.
Teach the dog to move in towards you, out away from you, up towards you, and back towards you, on verbal commands. I use the commands Get In, Get Off, Get Up, and Get Back for this. Once the dog learns these, play lots of finding heel games.
Work for very short bursts, and then break for praise and play. One or two reps, toss the toy, feed the treat, play tug, etc.
Teach fronts, and play the No Lookie No Cookie game. When they get onto this, shape real focus in heel position.
I have also used a small dowel held across my body so that if the dog forges it touches the dowel.
Teach the dog to heel backwards and sideways.
Do only one step heeling.
Do one step heeling facing a wall leaving yourself only one step plus a tiny bit. Praise proper sits BIG BIG BIG time.
Teach the dog to move in towards you, out away from you, up towards you, and back towards you, on verbal commands. I use the commands Get In, Get Off, Get Up, and Get Back for this. Once the dog learns these, play lots of finding heel games.
Work for very short bursts, and then break for praise and play. One or two reps, toss the toy, feed the treat, play tug, etc.
Teach fronts, and play the No Lookie No Cookie game. When they get onto this, shape real focus in heel position.
I have also used a small dowel held across my body so that if the dog forges it touches the dowel.
Teach the dog to heel backwards and sideways.
Here are some things I might do:
Do only one step heeling.
Do one step heeling facing a wall leaving yourself only one step plus a tiny bit. Praise proper sits BIG BIG BIG time.
Teach the dog to move in towards you, out away from you, up towards you, and back towards you, on verbal commands. I use the commands Get In, Get Off, Get Up, and Get Back for this. Once the dog learns these, play lots of finding heel games.
Work for very short bursts, and then break for praise and play. One or two reps, toss the toy, feed the treat, play tug, etc.
Teach fronts, and play the No Lookie No Cookie game. When they get onto this, shape real focus in heel position.
I have also used a small dowel held across my body so that if the dog forges it touches the dowel.
Teach the dog to heel backwards and sideways.
Do only one step heeling.
Do one step heeling facing a wall leaving yourself only one step plus a tiny bit. Praise proper sits BIG BIG BIG time.
Teach the dog to move in towards you, out away from you, up towards you, and back towards you, on verbal commands. I use the commands Get In, Get Off, Get Up, and Get Back for this. Once the dog learns these, play lots of finding heel games.
Work for very short bursts, and then break for praise and play. One or two reps, toss the toy, feed the treat, play tug, etc.
Teach fronts, and play the No Lookie No Cookie game. When they get onto this, shape real focus in heel position.
I have also used a small dowel held across my body so that if the dog forges it touches the dowel.
Teach the dog to heel backwards and sideways.
right now her "heel" is that she follows my feet
I clicker train for everything.
But specifically I would cue heel.. if they bolted or even forged I would turn briskly (to my right) and quickly walk the other way still cueing heel with my left hand. I would c/t as soon as my dog returned and pivot or about turn again.
I have used this with dogs who like to forge off the bat and it really helps...
Also don't make your heel cue to exciting. I had to drop a verbal cue for Dekka as she would launch herself forward when I said heel and then had to slow down to get back into heel.
But specifically I would cue heel.. if they bolted or even forged I would turn briskly (to my right) and quickly walk the other way still cueing heel with my left hand. I would c/t as soon as my dog returned and pivot or about turn again.
I have used this with dogs who like to forge off the bat and it really helps...
Also don't make your heel cue to exciting. I had to drop a verbal cue for Dekka as she would launch herself forward when I said heel and then had to slow down to get back into heel.
with the puppy i started with stationary attention, then moving attention, then moving attention rewarding specifically for heel position. all clicker.
i really didn't have this problem with him until saturday at our first rally class. but then again i'm not sure i specifically have asked for a set-up and then heel before either. mostly it's just we start working- i ask for his attention and we move.
but he immediately started bolting and it's exactly the same problem i have and struggle with with both bulldogs and i do NOT want this to become habit for him, too.
bud nipping, that's what i'm all about.
i really didn't have this problem with him until saturday at our first rally class. but then again i'm not sure i specifically have asked for a set-up and then heel before either. mostly it's just we start working- i ask for his attention and we move.
but he immediately started bolting and it's exactly the same problem i have and struggle with with both bulldogs and i do NOT want this to become habit for him, too.
bud nipping, that's what i'm all about.
Theoretically, yes. But in reality, highly unlikely. The judge is looking for that perfect mental image, which has come to include looking up at you. (so many thanks to the golden crowd )
Well, it could be that that's the issue - or at least part of the issue.
Work on setting up. Then vary what the first step is - take one step and halt, take one backwards step, turn as you take that one step, take one large step, take one tiny step, take one sideways step.
It might help if you start with some heeling first - get them into something of a heeling mindset. Then stop and go through a "set-up" ritual. Then step off into heeling. I always use the word "ready" before heeling. And I don't use it for other exercises. Over time, they learn that following a "ready" will be heeling.
)Well, it could be that that's the issue - or at least part of the issue.
Work on setting up. Then vary what the first step is - take one step and halt, take one backwards step, turn as you take that one step, take one large step, take one tiny step, take one sideways step.
It might help if you start with some heeling first - get them into something of a heeling mindset. Then stop and go through a "set-up" ritual. Then step off into heeling. I always use the word "ready" before heeling. And I don't use it for other exercises. Over time, they learn that following a "ready" will be heeling.
Actually I have seen (some in person and some vids) of people who score in the over 190s in CKC and AKC obed who's dogs don't look up at them. In rally I see it all the time.. but rally is way easier.
Its not common to see non looking up good heeling.... in part because most people aim for the looking up heel.. and those who can't get it often can't train a decent heel. But I know of a few people who don't train a look up on purpose because they worry about the strain on the neck/back.
Its not common to see non looking up good heeling.... in part because most people aim for the looking up heel.. and those who can't get it often can't train a decent heel. But I know of a few people who don't train a look up on purpose because they worry about the strain on the neck/back.
Well, it seems to work for us. She stares at my shoes and thats her way of knowing when im gonna go faster, stop, ect.. So it works for now I guess but im gonna work on teaching her the right way
I just need her to look at me for other stuff, she stares at the treat like shes trying to move it with her mind lol
but im gonna work on teaching her the right way I just need her to look at me for other stuff, she stares at the treat like shes trying to move it with her mind lol
That was me with Lyric. I wasn't into competition. So heeling was just for something to teach him....to play with. Usually, on a leash walk, we'd just do loose leash most of the time with some heel practice thrown in too. And yeah, I didn't particularly want him looking at me the whole time, just when I asked....periodically. But it was all started in a distraction free environment with a lot of mixing things up. They get so anticipatory. I had the same problem with one of my mares and it required a lot of backing up, turns etc. She didn't know how to walk. LOL...did a little jig in preparation to trot when asked to walk.
I was going to say the same thing when I read your first post Elegy...that "heel" has probably come to mean bolt. LOL. I bet with all the good tips, they'll get onto it. Good luck.
I was going to say the same thing when I read your first post Elegy...that "heel" has probably come to mean bolt. LOL. I bet with all the good tips, they'll get onto it. Good luck.