Cocker - feed and walking to heel

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LansdownK310

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We’ve had our puppy for 3 months now, training is coming on really well – my other half has made lots of progress with her having got her at 4 months relatively untrained. She’s a 7 month old working type.

The one bit of her training we’re struggling with is walking to heel on the lead, she seems to get very distracted and tries to pull no matter how my other half tries (down to her level and excitable walk, with treat etc…) she’s always better off the lead and will walk to heel nicely when we’re out for a walk across the field.

Last night at puppy training she was really distracted, even the trainer commented how wired she appeared to be and advised us to look at her diet and the protein content. She’s had no changes in her routine and gets decent walks and play time.

She’s fed bakers puppy meat in the morning with chudleys junior then just dry food in the evening (was on beta previously). She didn’t get very enthused on the beta and would often leave some (hence the change), we’ve carefully checked the weights and she’s on the lower end for her size – condition is great and she’s the correct weight.

Any advice or similar experiences?
 
Do a search on bakers on here and you will soon want her off it.
There are much better dog foods out there than bakers (ones that wont cause a endless list of health problems too).

Personally I do raw now but they have either Skinners or Wainwrights when we go away.
As for training to heel. What I did with Dylan is (as a pup) every time he looked at me whilst on the lead I gave him a treat (bits of chicken, sausage, cooked kidney).

Then I started to say heel, He looked at me, got a treat. He will now almost walk to heel without a lead. Taken 3 months but hes really good. I could not be dealing with a large dog that doesnt walk well on the lead. I one thing I have learnt is that training never ever ends that that primula cheese is a life safer as you can always have a tube in your pocket and the dogs love it as a treat.
 
Another vote for Step Away from the diet of wall to wall sweeties (ie Bakers!);)

With the heelwork - a calmer, less wired dog will help for starters so change of diet is important. Have you tried changing direction while the lead is still loose, but as the dog starts to forge ahead - so they get in front, you change direction while saying their name in a happy tone of voice to get their attention. The idea is not to pop them in the neck (especially not for a puppy) but that they learn that they don't get to where they want to be unless they stay with you, and also that you, the human, are a wee bit crazy but quite interesting and worth keeping an eye on! Yes, you end up looking a little bit mad, and you may go round in circles a few times, but they do get the hang of it eventually, honest.

Finally - why is offlead heel better than onlead? Be honest with yourself. Are you unconsciously giving more feedback off the lead because you know you don't have the crutch of a lead to stop the pup running off? Try to replicate what you do offlead, onlead. A fresh pair of eyes watching you might help you to pinpoint this.

ETA: one last thing - never ever miss an opportunity to praise your dog. When she is walking in the right place, mark that behaviour with a 'Good heel!'. You need to reinforce that this is what she needs to do, this is why you're giving her a treat - because she is walking well at your side, not to bribe her back into place. At this point, don't say heel when she's in the wrong place because she may well not even associate 'heel' with where you want her to be. It's very easy to accidentally train a dog into thinking 'heel' actually means 'full steam ahead!'
 
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Another cocker owner who say look at the food and dump the Bakers asap:)

As for walking to heel on a lead - never managed it with either of my cockers - both are fantastic at heel off lead just behave like idiots on the lead:rolleyes:

Mind you that is partly my fault as they very rarely have to go on their leads:o
 
Agree, bin the Bakers!
Great advice from Spudlet but also try and get the energy off her a bit before a walk or training, play ball, let her have a run around, and she will be less likely to tow you on the initial stages of a walk.
Make sure you are using a useful collar and lead combo too, harness will not really help, a martingale collar or half check/slip lead/good leather training lead are good tools.
 
Another one who suggest you step away from the Bakers! I have a working cocking and a collie on Skinners and apart from better concentration their coats and general appearance has improved since they started on the Duck and Rice variety.
 
Thanks for all the advice - great advice on walking to heel which i've passed on to my OH, he has occassionally been doing this and says it does work so he needs to be consistent!

I got her feed muddled up she's on butchers meat not bakers - is this stuff still as bad, what about the chudleys dry food?
 
It takes perserverance to stick at it, I have not always done so, so Henry's on-lead heelwork can be patchy!:o But when I put a little time in, he can do lovely heelwork:)

I would have a look at the ingredients on both types of food - you ideally want few, simple ingredients and nothing you can't pronounce;) I haven't fed Chudleys, although I haven't heard great things about it tbh. You could probably cut the meat back - most dry foods are meant as a complete diet so the extra meat shouldn't be necessary.

My lad is on Skinners, which suits him. Have to say my trainer doesn't generally rate it though, preferring James Wellbeloved. It's all a matter of finding what suits your own dog:)
 
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