HEEL! ............what?

[welshyrider]

Hi, training tips on how to teach my incredibly intelligent springer pup how to heel. I have managed everything else and he is the most wonderful, obedient dog, i have ever had, but im clearly doing something wrong in the heel dept! Hes very trainable and everything else has been so easy...it just this...
Many Thanks in advance for what i know will be extremely useful advice. Hes 7 months old btw

 

[CorvusCorax]

I am going to assume you want to train a good heel as opposed to stopping him pulling on the lead?

The trick to heeling and recall is to make yourself the centre of attention.

If he is foody, introduce the command 'watch' at home. The longer he is watching you, the more you offer a food reward - don't feed him before training.

Gradually introduce this out and about, take his morning food allowance out with you in a bodywarmer or any old jacket with deep pockets. (Or if you walk in the evenings, use the evening meal).

Keep him on a lead on your left hand side with his shoulder at the level of your knee and say watch and then heel - the longer he stays at your side, holding your gaze, preferably, the more you reward him from your pockets - so you are the source of food, not a bowl and staying by your side results in food.
You can also keep a bit of food in your left hand above his nose to keep him in position.
As time goes on, intersperse the food with praise and then eventually much more praise than food, so that he won't ONLY work when you have food on you

If he is toy orientated, use the toy and reward it for the 'watch' the longer he holds your gaze, out and about, put a favourite toy in a top left hand pocket and tease him with it, let him see it poking out and after ten steps of heel, let him have it, repeat ad nauseum!!!

Keep the pace active and animated, not slow and boring

I am going to PM you a wee video about the handfeeding (I think you're about the 365th person I have sent it to )