No, it is not a boring exercise. Heeling can be lots of fun for both you and your dog if you see and teach it as a trick. This video will lead you through the whole process, from an easy puppy trick to long and enthusiastic heeling with great focus and perfect position.
There are different ways to order:
1. download
The video is 45 min, it's 710 MB, estimated download time on 1.024 Mbps line is 1,5-2 hours.
2. DVD sent by post (additional 8 eur for shipping)
And a testimonial from FMBB World Champion 2015: "Hi Silvia, I just want to tell you, that 5 years ago I taught my dog the heeling with your method of teaching it just as a trick. And he is heeling very well. Now we are FMBB World Champion 2015! Best obedience! So thank you for giving me the idea of heeling as a trick. I teach all my dogs that way and its just fun and cool. I enjoy it a lot. You are a good teacher;). THANKS!!! Romy"
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First, I have to say I love this method for teaching heeling. I makes it so fun! My dogs finally see heeling as a game. I have two dogs I’m teaching this too. The difference I’ve noticed is while Oliver pivots around the bowl with his head up Sage puts her head down and turns it into her body as if to help her turn. She doesn’t have very good body awareness and has a weak back. I’m not sure if this could have anything to do with it? Maybe it’s nothing, but she won’t (acts like she can’t or at least doesn’t know how to) pivot while watching me at the same time. Is this normal?
Hannah
I’ve taught my Jack using this method, but along the way he has picked up a foot target, so he’ll target my foot with his front paw. It doesn’t cause him to crab or anything, I just wanted to check this is ok.
It’s not ideal… I won’t click when their foot is on my foot, but will move again and click when they don’t stand on my foot.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Silvia,
I am using your methode for teaching the heeling with my border collie. Actually I am quite glad with our training, but at the moment we are stuck a bit. Because Fame is quite good in staying in her position when I walk in a circle, but has problems, as soon as I do a step ahead. Can you maybe tell me, what I am doing wrong or which steps I should train? And she always drops her head, as soon as I gave her the treat? Do you think she will stop as soon, as we can walk some more steps?
Thank you very much in advance for your help.
Simone
She probably learned to look down at the target… Try to jackpot when she doesn’t look down and maybe call her name as soon as she starts to go down? But yes, that way or another, I think it will go away when you start moving forward. Try to make your circles bigger now, so that every time when you do some of the circle as on a target, you also step somewhat forward: and then with every next step, do less of a circle and more of a step forward. You can also step to the side -- and somewhat forward at the same time, to get her used to the idea. It’s not uncommon problem at all, but it goes away easily if you mask forward movement into a circle at first 🙂 Happy training!
Hi Silvia,
I am training just the way the said and I can already see some sucess. We can manage to do two steps forward with out her getting confused where to move her back legs 😉 We are going to practise some more and than I will post another video.
Thanks for your help 😉
Simone
Bonjour !
Je suis entrain de travailler la marche au pied selon votre méthode, j’ai une chienne attentive à moi, qui à un bon focus et marche de façon rythmée à mes pieds. Elle prends plaisir à le faire, de chaque côté, est motivée, mais je n’arrive pas à lui faire lever ses pattes lors de la marche au pied. J’ai déjà testé le jouet en arrière, les changements de vitesse, elle connaît quelques tricks avec ses pattes (pas espagnol par exemple) mais je pense que le problème est qu’elle me colle trop, elle me “pousse” presque avec son corps lors de cette marche, ce qui fait qu’elle ne peut pas lever ses pattes plus haut. Comment lui faire changer cette attitude ?
Yes, to get high legs, it’s very important that they have high, vertical head and don’t lean on your legs: the two is connected meaning that if they lean, their head is somewhat out -- should be straight and up. To get rid of leaning, reward so high that she needs to jump up some with front feet to get it: that will force her to shift weight. Try rewarding every step at first so that she doesn’t have time to lean back on you: then go to rewarding every second, third etc. Happy heeling!
Hello Silvia,
I’ve seen your DVD, and it is great. I had a quick question though. What are your verbal cues? I know you said you use different ones but I wondered what they were? I can never think of one myslef, so I just wondered what you used. 🙂
Thanks so much~!
You mean what verbal cues I use for the two different sides? I use “heel” in two different languages, in Slovenian for left side and English for right side.
That’s such a neat idea! Okay thanks so much! May I ask what is ‘heel’ in Slovenian? 🙂
Poleg 🙂
That’s such a neat word! Ha thank you!
I just couldnt resist ordering this DVD! Sooo looking forward to get it. Silvia, I love your article about heeling, exactly what I have always thought about that ‘trick’!
My westie was also taught (at the beginning) using a jerky method and I was not comfortable with it at all.. Neither of us were. Then I flipped to positive motivation and got brilliant results over the time, we also took BBH exam down with 100 points. After puppy class with Brie I started teaching him the new heeling version and we progressed even more, in position and focus. I still believe there are many holes in our heeling so I think this DVD will be great for us, to fill in some more details, and to start over teaching heeling on the other side right from the beginning, because we never did any serious training with him on the right side.
On the other hand, we placed great foundations on heeling in puppy classes with Brie, my border collie. I think it’s time to move on and get to the more advanced heeling and I am sure this DVD will help us as well!
My two dogs are looking forward to heeling sessions, I can tell that by their expression, so we just can’t wait to get this DVD! 🙂
Coming soon! 🙂 I think you mastered most of it already, but well, there are always some little details that can still be improved 🙂
Exactly, and mastering these little details will be our goal! I just like to see it in a picture so getting that DVD was really one of my -musthave- things.
Apart from the newest, ready-steady-go… Brie is sooo fast, but I believe we could still work on it, especially if there are some games included. She just LOVES to run. That’s her biggest reward. So, running puppy agility is a big fun to her as well, really self-awarding. On the other hand, she has been always capable to wait, 1 minute, 2.. 10 minutes,.. -- no problem. We will run right after it of course, right?! 🙂 Hopefully one day, but now we must save money for the camp.
I’m just curious.. is it possible to somehow get that huge drive she has when she knows she will run.. to connect it with heeling? Rewarding with a thrown toy is not really the best option as her position gets floppy, and she starts to walk “v klin”.. 😀
-- to explain that huge drive: she is extremely focused, her muscles are in tension; not bouncy or hyperactive or hysterical or uncapable of listening. That’s why I would really like to connect it with heeling. Thrown toy actually doesn’t bring out that drive, it’s the running itself. I noticed when she is waiting for a toy she gets floppy in action, and not so precised, her focus is mostly on the toy even if she is watching me in the eyes.
Have I complicated it too much? 😀
Yes, that’s a common problem when they get too excited: to start pushing in. The best defence against it is to teach a really straight, vertical head -- it will give you some extra high legs or even hopping when extra excited, but at least they stay parallel that way. Head position is really very important -- more as it looks like. I always reward in a position, but always doing some heeling before running will of course give you a chain and more drive for heeling.
Ok! I really need to work more on the vertical head then. It seems good on left, but a bit not-so-vertical on the right side. Aaaand rewarding in a position, I must make sure I will accidentally toss less treats around in future, it’s really not helpful I think! 🙂
Thanks for the help, will see if the video covers the rest of my questions. 🙂
Hello! My name is Arlhys and I live in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, I was very impressed with her work, I want to specialize in tricks to dogs, I wonder how can I get the DVDs of training? Which address to purchase? What is the value? If you can I would get this information. hugs
Arlhys Days
RJ Brazil
All the info is above, on https://www.lolabuland.com/training-videos/ -- you have all the prices there and way to order explained. You can pay by PayPal using a buttons on each page or to a bank account and then the DVD are shipped to your address. Hope that helps some?
I’m very interested in what you are offering. How would it work with a dog that is not food/toy/praise motivated?
Oh, for a dog with motivational issues, I would actually recommend Ready-Steady-GO! video, work on his drive and finding a way to excite him and only then proceed to teaching that or another behaviour. You definitely need to find a way to motivate him first, that’s always a first step of everything.
Hi Silvia
I am in the March Foundation class but like the some, I can’t resist ordering the heeling DVD. It such a joy watching your dogs heel and I hope I have the time to incorporate some heeling practice as the Foundation class is starting real soon!
Sure, heeling sure is fun, I’m sure you’ll both like it!