Need Ideas--Fun ways to teach off-leash heel in a small yard

[dogs4life]

So I'm dog sitting a very fun, very huge young hunting lab this weekend. Today went great, I told his owner (my neighbor) I would do some training while I feed and water. I'd love to walk and run him in public but he's too out of control and weighs about 100, big boy.

I was teaching heel by luring on my left while walking in tight right-hand circles, he's so smart and caught on super fast even with the neighbor dogs barking and such. Since the yard is so small, I was getting dizzy doing all those circles. He's never heeled before but has a reliable sit, stay and recall with wonderful focus...well I had chicken too, so there was some bribery involved

Anyone have great heel games or heel exercises to share?

[greekblue]

I do not have much to offer, but although Niki went to a training academy, here is how I practiced with her at home. I did it on the sidewalk and at the park (not a fenced dog park, a regular human park), not in a small yard, so I do not know if it will work for you. With Niki since she could sit, go down, etc., I used to try heeling with her. If she was going too fast, I would stop her, make her sit, and start heeling again. Even if she had just a few steps next to me, I would tell her what a good puppy she is and give her the treat ( very small) while she was walking next to me (did not stop to give her a treat; I gave her the treat while walking. If she was trying to move faster, to jump, and so on, I was withholding the treat, make her sit again so she can get back to focus, and start heeling again -- she would get a treat while she was walking next to me. I think eventually she realized that if she walks next to me she gets a "cookie," so she started doing better and better. I did use correction with the leash also.

For off leash, I also did it at the same park (we still working on it; not 100% reliable), but I was lucky because Niki has a natural desire to be next to me. If I go far enough or if I go and hide behind a tree, a petstore aile, whetever I am, Niki RUNS to find me and grabs me by my jacket; she was never trained for that. She was doing that before I started doing some off leash practicing; that is how I got the idea that I can start training her off leash.

I have on her a 6 foot leash and I attach to the loop of that leash a 50 foot leash, so she can go 56 feet away from me and still be secure. At first, I was playing with her holding that really long leash very loosely at the park; then, I would make her sit and stay. I would go far enough and work on her to come back to me. After a while, I would leave this long leash (still do that) on the ground and throw the ball to her far enough, but near enough for me to step on the long leash if she decided to stray. The first few times, I had to step on the leash to make her stop from running away and I called her back to me. When she came of course she got a "cookie" and LOTS of praise and play time. I also, held that long leash very loosely, so she felt like she was off leash and I encourage her to run while I was running. Niki now does not go far from me, but I still use that long leash for security, so I can step on it if she decides to run again (and God they run FAST!). She will also walk very near me, not exactly heeling yet, with that long leash on the ground. I just encourage her to come near me if I see that she starts going astray. If she does not want to come, I tell her "ok, fine" and I walk away ignoring her. She stops, stares at me, and when she thinks I am far enough, she runs and grabs my jacket. It is funny to see. Of course, I know that I can still run back and step on that long leash if needed.

[Rivsky]

My personal favourite is setting them up in heel position saying "are you ready" (which is the cue I use) and breaking off with a game from there if he's completely focused on me. Also if he does a really enthusiastic take off I'll sometimes stop after a couple of steps and give him lots of rewards and play a game to not only reward the heel position but the enthusiasm that went with it. I think doing a couple of these really short exercises in between keeps them on their toes and breaks up the heelwork a bit. Plus they sound like they'll work fine in the limited space you've got too.

[dogs4life]

Thanks, Rivsky and GreekBlue

I'll be working with him more today....let you know how it goes.

[dogs4life]

He's getting it, I want to work more on stationary heel though. I think he's associated heel with walking at heel and not really the "heel" position no matter if I'm just standing still or walking. I was testing him while we played fetch and he got it right a couple times after I started luring.