Training Hint Tips and Techniques

Basics:

   Your dog should be beside you on the left side.  AS you walk, your dogs shoulders should be even with your legs.  When you stop, they sit.  Your dog should avoid sniffing, distractions, and have a majority of their attention on you.  

Position:

    Your dog should be even with your legs.  Think his heart to your knees have an invisible line.  If you had a fire cracker go off on your right side, and your dog were to turn his head to see it, he'd bump your knees.  Why? if he's too far forward and breaks control for any reason, he's going to trip you. If he's too far back, you won't know he's broken control until it's too late to redirect.  

YOUR LEASH POSITION IS SUPER IMPORTANT

     You should be relaxed and have little tension on the leash.  Think, "J" from the leash to the collar.  If you have tension on the leash multiple things happen:

* Your Dog feels the tension and can misinterpret it as anxiety and that makes them hyper vigilant.  You're dog needs to trust that you are the boss and will handle the stresses and issues on the walk.  It's hard for your dog to leave that trust with you when YOU seem to be triggering on something unseen.  

* Your dog will learn that pulling is okay.  We do it in small amounts and it's okay, so to get his way he just has to pull harder, more.  Now you're teaching a sled dog not a service dog =).  When that squirrel runs past you, you're in trouble!

Let's get started with Heel. 

First, start with your left foot.  For advanced hand command I use a sweeping motion with my left hand, leash in hand, as if waving them with me. (Arm down hand by their face).  Then I say (in my trainer voice) *Dog Name* Heel.  Trainer voice is important.  Dogs don't speak English so they infer most of what you say through body language and tone of voice.  Don't ASK your dog to heel.  Tell them, we are heeling now! Don't DEMAND your dog heel, like aggressively.  We annunciate our words and say clearly Dog name Heel.  Imagine you're talking to Alexa.  Clear, concise, and authoritative.  

(ADHD Side note.. My dog listens to me.. Alexa doesn't)

 If you screw it up.  (Start with your right foot, don't have your dogs attention, trip and fall on your face.)  Laugh it off.  Start over.  Maybe practice it without your dog a few times.