The funny thing is though Kicks, when she showed us HOW to do this, she actually took Zena from me to show everyone. I told her Zena had NEVER done anything like this coz she's always been offlead, but she told me to watch and see. Well, Zena sat at her side beautifully, she took a step after giving Zena a treat and then holding her hand up to her hip, and Zena took a step and sat again. Then she took two more steps and got another treat, and it was only about once or twice as she walked that she got to be circled, so it quite amazed me really for a little puppy who'd never been walked properly on a lead like that. However, it was a completely different story when mummy took over!!!!

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh H - just relax and have fun

Zena will sense if it becomes a chore and will play up more. The only stuff i done with Monty as a pup was recall which i did demand was near on perfect. He walks to heel by himself cos i've not asked him - actually i have trouble sending him on as he sticks that close. His off-lead is better than on-lead though.

Remember if you blow her mind at the moment, she may forget a lot as she gets older and you'll have to re-teach it.

When i do any obedience now - i use a ball/kong on a rope. I only do a wee bit then throw the it when the focus is on me. This makes Monty keen to focus on me so he gets the toy - i'm not really a food trainer though to be honest - i always gave at the wrong time, lol.

One important thing to remember is - SHE'S A PUPPY!! Enjoy her

Yes I know Linda, but this is my blooming HOMEWORK!!!! She is expecting us to do at least 15 steps next week in class in front of the others which I don't think will happen! There is no way I'd be doing any of this if I didn't have to produce the evidence next Monday that I'd actually been doing my homework Lol! This is the furthest I've ever stuck to proper training, I've always just done it myself by sheer gut instinct and repetition and it's always worked, and like I said earlier, all my dogs could walk on leads properly, none were pullers and yet we were never taught at training how to do it, they just sort of knew when they were older, and it's very rarely that I walk them onlead anyway, and if I do, it's never for very long, we're not townies here, we're country bumkins! No, I don't enjoy trying to learn all this I really don't, I much prefer to be out having fun but it's just got to be done, I've promised my breeder and I stick to my promises!

Try not to get too flustered by all this H I also think your trainer is asking a bit much of such a young pup. Just do it at your own pace, and try not to be bullied into anything. I would get a bumbag too (I also need to get one of these and have seen a nice one by Doog (?) but it is blooming expensive!) and only treat when Zena is walking at heel and watching you. I got into the habit of trickle treating Flame for heelwork and found she would then only heel if I had a treat in my hand You live and learn! Anyway, make it lots of fun for Zena (and you!) and try to keep sessions really short (about 5 mins four times a day or something like that). Have a light lead, and keep it in your right hand (across your body), keep the treats in a left hand pocket that has easy access and just get one treat out at a time.

Hopefully this will help

I personally teach all my pups heel work of lead as you don't need distractions etc to start with. My training sessions I run, I get all the handlers to work of lead as they tend to use the lead to pull the dog into them. The treat should be the lure to keep the dog at your side progressing to the treat becoming a reward when they are in the right position. If they really want you to use a lead its better that you have the lead in your right hand & keep the dog in the position you want with the treat in your left hand. Make sure you hold it firmly between the thumb & first finger one treat at a time & treats in your right hand pocket & as you feed one replace it straight away with your right hand to your left. hope this makes sense

Ann

Well, thankyooooooou, you've all helped tremendously!!!

Just spent about 3 mins in the garden. Treats in right hand, ball in left hand (the ball works so much better than treats!) She sat, she got her treat, new treat passed immediately to left hand, she followed it, plus I had the ball in that hand, right in front of her nose, and I wiggled around the garden, she kept right THERE next to my leg, whilst I praised her constantly and gave her the rest of the treats, and no collar or lead (I will do that later!) Then we played ball, she was happy! Job sorted, now I just need to keep at it once or twice every day and see how it goes. I'm using the word "heel" as she follows me, but I think I'd rather use "close" but it's too late now I suppose!!! Why do I always do things the wrong way round???!!! Thinking about it too, when we're out and I've got her ball, she seems to prefer sticking by my RIGHT leg,not my left, so in hindsight I should have decided on the right leg to start off with perhaps, but I only noticed it this morning when we were out I do hope Zena gets used to my strange ways of going about stuff as she gets older Lol!

Thanks to all of you, you've been such a brilliant help to me, and I'm looking forward to the day when I can post up that she is doing perfect heelwork! Don't hold your breath though for that one!

I would try to stick to the left leg to be honest hun, I think its early enough that you could change from heal to close though,

the first couple of times just say heal, then say close, then drop the heal....

Thanks Shona, I'll do that then, coz I like "close" much better and one of my others (the one who was obedience trained but NOT by me have to add!!!) she would always stick close when I used that term, it was nice to have quite honestly, so I'd like the same with Zena, so I'll put the effort in, not too much, not too often, but I'll try and enjoy it in the process! Lol! I DO enjoy it when she's listening which she was just now

great stuff, try not to over think things, remember if your not having fun, shes not x

I train heelwork off lead, but I also start off my left leg at arms length with the treat just above the dogs nose. This way you can make sure the dog is balanced. I always end up luring the dog in to the heel position at the end of the training session at first. I only do three or four steps at first & treat at the end of the 4 steps without the sit.

I also carry the treats in my left pocket & as I use chopped up hot dog sausages the small is on my fingers after the treat has gone.

Indoors I also teach the touch to the palm of my hand(not the outside or closed fist. This can be done whilst you are sitting down-you can also teach the present indoors totally separate from the recall & it makes it easier to teach a formal recall afterwards.

I started on Monday at our competition training with Roodee & he's only 12 weeks old & he picked up the basics straight away