# walk and heel



## regspeir (Jan 4, 2010)

Walk vs. heel - I am confused as to teaching the difference between what to do on a walk vs what to do on a heel.
Background - Cooper is a 2-yr-old Golden who has been to puppy, manners and agility classes but is moving into his first Obedience experiences. I have never used or properly attached the word “heel” to a precise set of expectations, although I am now attempting to teach this very thing.
I walk with my dog everyday, probably at least 45 minutes on lead. During those walks, I expect that he not pull (was a struggle, at 1st), and stay loosely on my left side and generally not sniff or mark, except at certain spots/times. When I ask him to heel, I expect or want much more (complete attention, precise position, etc.). How can I help him understand the difference? What things can I do or avoid on our “walk,” so that I don’t destroy or confuse what I am trying to build with “heel?”


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

The main thing is the words are different.

Until I got to novice level classes, I only used the "let's go" command, particularly since I did not want my dog to become confused by the time we first started teaching heel position, etc. 

Teaching heel properly can be layered at the beginning. Meaning you are just working on taking that first step forward with the dog's full attention and full energy. And this may take weeks before you move on to working your dog forward to that first halt. And this may take weeks before you move on to working on turns. 

When I say "let's go", my guy knows it means move forward with me and walk nicely at my side. And I use the "walk nicely" reminder when he pulls. I praise him for a good watch when he looks up at me, but I do not ask him to watch. And I'm not fixing my attention on him the entire time. My handling and posture is completely different than when we are working on heel. 

When I heel with my guy, I generally get into "heeling mode" with my right hand down on my side and my left hand over my belly button and with my eyes fixed on Jacks. And I generally train Jacks so he's maintaining a steady watch the entire time. 

The other thing, of course... I use a completely different collar when we are training. His walking/everyday collars are those he wears when he's just my walking buddy. When I put his training collar on (choke chain in his case, but you could simply have a specific collar - like a rolled leather collar - that your dog does not wear the rest of the time), he knows he has to work until I remove the collar.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

You need to make it a completly different exercise. Walks are walks and training is training. Titan pulls me on walks and is at the end of the flexi lead with his nose to the ground on walks. When we "work" I tell him let's work and then go about doign the lesson and homework you are given. Keep them fun, short and positive! 
Best of luck.. it is addicting!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I dont use a command for walking on a leash. If you dont want the dog to pull while on leash then you never allow pulling on the leash -dont make the dog wait for a command for something you expect at all times. I dont expect formal heelig from my dog everytime we walk however, so I do use a command for that.


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## wakemup (Feb 6, 2011)

I use a "with me" command for a walk. The dog can be on either side, but has to stay within a few feet of me. My hands hang naturally at my side as an additional cue. Formal heeling (moving attention for competition) is a different command (their name followed by "step") and my left hand is over my belly button, elbow bent and close to my body.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I too use a "with me" command when I am walking. That tells Gabby that she can't pull, I don't care if she gets slightly ahead, or behind, as long as she is 'with me'. However, I do shorts sets of "heel" while we are walking. I set her up doing some commands, lefts, rights, spins, sits, downs whatever. Then I have her "heel", I do however many feet I feel I need, treat and release. I always do some other command work then I release her to be a dog again. I do this 3-4 times in a course of our walks. I don't have the opportunity to go to a training building except for class, so I do practice our behaviors on our walks. Just not the whole walk.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

regspeir said:


> Walk vs. heel - I am confused as to teaching the difference between what to do on a walk vs what to do on a heel.
> Background - Cooper is a 2-yr-old Golden who has been to puppy, manners and agility classes but is moving into his first Obedience experiences. I have never used or properly attached the word “heel” to a precise set of expectations, although I am now attempting to teach this very thing.
> I walk with my dog everyday, probably at least 45 minutes on lead. During those walks, I expect that he not pull (was a struggle, at 1st), and stay loosely on my left side and generally not sniff or mark, except at certain spots/times. When I ask him to heel, I expect or want much more (complete attention, precise position, etc.). How can I help him understand the difference? What things can I do or avoid on our “walk,” so that I don’t destroy or confuse what I am trying to build with “heel?”


It takes a loooong time to teach a truly fluent attention heel. On a pleasure walk, don't ask for your attention heel unless you're in a position to do whatever you do actively train it - be it an attention armband, food or toy lure, etc. And only ask for short, short sessions -- just a few steps at a time.

Use a different word to mean "don't pull me." I use "close," which for me means, stay on the left, but keep some slack in the leash. They can sniff, they can lag, they just can't make the leash tight. This actually takes longer to teach to true fluency and duration (where you can issue the cue and you dog can do it for most of the walk w/o many reminders) b/c the criteria is so broad. 

So basically - use different words. Different collars probably helps, too. And don't ask for the attention version on a walk unless your absolutely capable of making sure he can successfully do it -- and even then, don't ask for it for very long. It's a pretty boring way for a dog to walk. Pleasure walks are for them; let them be dogs. Attention heeling is our game.


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