You can get a lead that is double ended, and they are great for heelwork as you can just hook it over your shoulder (like a sash) so you don't have to hold the lead (also, if you are feeling nervous or whatever, the energy won't go down the lead as much as you won't be tensing up and holding the lead tighter)

I got A bum bag for xmas, but previously bought one off ebay. Also coachies make a little bag that clips onto your belt or waistband I have seen those in the pet shop.

Ah huh, I think I've got one of those!!!! I bought it in P@H thinking it was a long line, but it's a training line and does exactly what you're saying, so I'll dig that out!!! Thanks for reminding me, it's worth a try isn't it

Thanks hayley, never thought to look in a pet shop of all places, but it makes sense doesn't it! Thanks for the tips, I'll keep searching then!

1, get a thinner lead & hold in your right hand.
2. Put must of the treats in your left hand pocket & just hold one or two in your left hand.


Or go off lead!!

This is my friend with her pup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2A3R...e=channel_page

Now you've just reminded me by saying that, that yes, the lead is in the right hand ONLY, so I've been doing it all wrong by also holding it in my left hand haven't I!!! Typical me!!! I know that now, coz everytime Zena goes forward, I have to stop, and lure her round until she's sitting at my left side again and off we go again. That's also what I find difficult, coz instead of a nice circle to the left, I get all cackhanded coz she's maybe across my front and end up bringing her back in a figure of eight! Lol! There's no hope for me is there! What you've said makes complete sense now! Yes, that's what I do too, I get her nose right on my left hand, but it all goes Pete Tong when I bring the left hand up to my hip area, she either leaps up at my hand, or leaps forward!!! Grrrrrr! When she does it well, she does it very well, but it's not consistent, and then I get bored and fed up! I mustn't though I know that!

Brilliant vid there Mich, well done to her! We're not allowed to bend down OR hold our hand down, it has to be up at our middle, and that makes Zena want to leap up at it! When we're offlead, and I can hold the treat in my hand in front of her nose, then she's a complete star, blimey, I can get about 10 - 15 steps like that!!! I think offlead is my wtg quite honestly, it seems to be working better, and I'm going to hold my left hand with the treats in it much lower, coz that WORKS, so whatever works, what's wrong with that???!

Have to tell you Mich, I had 10 big black labs training up on the field this morning and two of them raced past us within feet, Zena was offlead, she went to take off after them, got about 3 feet away, I said "no" quickly followed by "come" and she turned and came with US! Wahayyy!!!! She ignored them all after that!!

Can you not leave your hand at the level of Zena's nose cos she's only little.
I think heelwork is very hard to teach and maybe you can only do one or two steps at a time before you reward and very very gradually build it up over the weeks. I think your trainer is expecting a lot for Zena to walk to heel for some distance on the second week.

Blimey i'm still leading Harry with my hand all the time and he's fourteen months, and often in training with the other two, seems like they're expecting alot to me! You don't want to risk discouraging her from learning stuffs x

Thanks Talassie, you know what? I think I'm going to do that! I'm going to do it MY way and hold that hand lower, coz Zena does very well when I have the hand low like that, so if she's happy, I'm happy, and what the trainer wants will just have to come in time won't it! Afterall, by the time Zena is 6 months old she'll be almost up to where I'm supposed to hold those treats anyway won't she, or at least my hand will be level with my hip and her nose by that time!

I met a fellow trainee in P@H this morning and she is worrying about it too, and she said she's just not going to do all that homework this week, she's more than happy that her little border has a brilliant recall now that she isn't bothered whether he walks to heel yet, the recall is so much more important as it is to me quite honestly! I'd much rather have a dog who instantly comes to call than one who can walk beside me on a lead I never even use, well not much!

you cant teach HW with your hand left at your middle, it needs to be taught in stages. Starts at stage 1 ends at stage 10, you sound like youve started at stage 8 & a half!!!!

I still do a "follow" with Mav when training sometimes