Coming and Heeling
- Thread starter ShadowCat
- Start date
I have struggled with that myself.
Check cords(long leash around 25ft) work wonders on recall.
Put your dog on a Check Cord let him wander then reel him in when you call his name. Remember to only call him once. Make sure you have his attention by calling him sternly but lovingly(is that possible?lol) Reel him in and give him praise or even a treat. He will soon learn that he gets loves and or treats when he comes to you.
Pulling---I use a Gentle Leader for that. One week of daily walks will help correct his pulling. Prong collars and many other tools can be used as well so take a pick. Be consistant.
Heeling is something you can add in to your daily walks. Keep a short lead on him and say Heel ..If he pulls and trys to get ahead say Heel! and pop up with a prong collar or gently pull him back with the Gentle lead. He will learn to heel.
Consistancy and having controll with a leash or cord is key. If you allow him to run about and not listen there is no punishment or reward.
Good luck and keep us posted on how he does and how you did it!
Check cords(long leash around 25ft) work wonders on recall.
Put your dog on a Check Cord let him wander then reel him in when you call his name. Remember to only call him once. Make sure you have his attention by calling him sternly but lovingly(is that possible?lol) Reel him in and give him praise or even a treat. He will soon learn that he gets loves and or treats when he comes to you.
Pulling---I use a Gentle Leader for that. One week of daily walks will help correct his pulling. Prong collars and many other tools can be used as well so take a pick. Be consistant.
Heeling is something you can add in to your daily walks. Keep a short lead on him and say Heel ..If he pulls and trys to get ahead say Heel! and pop up with a prong collar or gently pull him back with the Gentle lead. He will learn to heel.
Consistancy and having controll with a leash or cord is key. If you allow him to run about and not listen there is no punishment or reward.
Good luck and keep us posted on how he does and how you did it!
T
Start your recall at only several feet away. While your dog is learning "come" *always* have VERY yummy treats that REALLY motivate your dog. (Cheese, hotdogs, peanut butter, etc) Coming to you should be the best thing imagineable to your dog.
If you have to, at first lure your dog into you while saying come. When the dog reaches you, TONS of praise and give him that jackpot. Eventually let the line get longer. I would only go at 2 feet intervals, and ONLY ever increase the distance when the dog is *solid* on the recall from the stage before the next. Eventually, you will have a dog that will do a recall over at least 20 feet away from you. Once that is rock solid, you can start adding distractions. But, once you start adding those distractions, start back from square one. Only allow a few feet first. Continue progressing with the distance. This process shoudl go faster than at first(even with the small distraction), because your dog should get the idea early on because he's already gone through this teaching before.
Goodluck!
If you have to, at first lure your dog into you while saying come. When the dog reaches you, TONS of praise and give him that jackpot. Eventually let the line get longer. I would only go at 2 feet intervals, and ONLY ever increase the distance when the dog is *solid* on the recall from the stage before the next. Eventually, you will have a dog that will do a recall over at least 20 feet away from you. Once that is rock solid, you can start adding distractions. But, once you start adding those distractions, start back from square one. Only allow a few feet first. Continue progressing with the distance. This process shoudl go faster than at first(even with the small distraction), because your dog should get the idea early on because he's already gone through this teaching before.
Goodluck!
T
Also, does he know an attention word? "Watch me" is VERY important to teach a dog. When distracted, this command is a lifesaver. It really helps to get the dog's attention back on you.
To teach attention, start out in a quiet place with very very little distractions. I do this with a clicker, but you don't need one. Sit down with your dog. Whenever your dog looks at your face, click(or "YES!") and treat. Soon your dog will learn to look at your face to get a treat. This is when you can add the cue. My command is "watch me", though you can use anything you'd like. (I do not recommend using the dog's name as the attention word. Unfortunately, a dog's name is misused and horrible reinforced all the time. Picking a different command is a very good idea.) Once your dog will look up at you when you command "Watch me", it is time to add small distractions. Proofing for those distractions is *key*!
Goodluck, and remember: Training should always be fun!
To teach attention, start out in a quiet place with very very little distractions. I do this with a clicker, but you don't need one. Sit down with your dog. Whenever your dog looks at your face, click(or "YES!") and treat. Soon your dog will learn to look at your face to get a treat. This is when you can add the cue. My command is "watch me", though you can use anything you'd like. (I do not recommend using the dog's name as the attention word. Unfortunately, a dog's name is misused and horrible reinforced all the time. Picking a different command is a very good idea.) Once your dog will look up at you when you command "Watch me", it is time to add small distractions. Proofing for those distractions is *key*!
Goodluck, and remember: Training should always be fun!