How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend

by Monks of New Skete

  Formal Heeling

  In teaching the formal heel, we assume that Una has gone through the preliminary exercises of leash training and controlled walking and that she has already learned the sit command in a general way from puppy training.*What we are going to do now is begin to heel formally and then attach a sit when we come to a stop. In time, this will become automatic; therefore, it is called the automatic sit. Begin with Una in the starting position. After making eye contact with her, step forward decisively with your left foot as you say, "Una, heel," and start walking at a brisk pace. We introduce all active commands*with Una's name (since it is an effective attention-getter) but emphasize the command. Pronounce it clearly and audibly, and though your tone should be pleasant, don't baby-talk her. You want to communicate a certain quality of firmness and authority.

  As you walk, be aware of where Una is. In heel, the goal is to have Una walking with her right shoulder adjacent to your left leg, paying attention in such a manner that should you change your pace, she would adjust immediately. Even having gone through the preliminary exercises of controlled walking, you can expect a certain amount of getting in front or lagging behind. Whatever Una's response, you can correct it if you know how to use the training collar properly while heeling. As you give a quick, sharp leash pop with your left hand, the training collar should tighten and release instantaneously, giving Una a helpful correction. We're not talking about taking her head off. The correction is simply a quick, attention-getting leash pop that occurs as the left hand slackens the leash, "pops," then immediately releases. Una will respond right away, perhaps even with a yelp of surprise, and then come back immediately to your side. Praise her instantly. Keep walking briskly, with plenty of encouragement, and start making frequent turns. For the time being, whenever you turn, repeat the command and offer her a treat every so often as you walk (from your left hand palm facing to the rear) to keep her attentive and focused.**

  Remember: Una should feel your leash pops. Make your corrections fast and release the pressure of the collar immediately (if she is forging, you will most likely have to step into the correction with your left foot first to secure the necessary leash slackness to avoid pulling on the leash). Don't hang or haul the dog, and don't apply continual pressure on the training collar. Those methods (if you could even call them by that term) not only don't work but are inhumane. The "popsnap" type of training-collar correction does work. It gets Una's attention and serves as a directional signal that is convincing.

  A graceful example of heel. The dog walks at the handler's pace. Keep the leash relaxed.

  People ask us about communicating with a dog during heel. For dogs that will not be competing in the obedience ring (where anything other than the initial command is not allowed), we suggest that you really open up and talk to your dog when you begin to heel. If your dog is coming along with you more or less peacefully, just whisper gentle encouragement, bending over slightly, making eye contact whenever you can. But if your dog forges ahead or hits the end of the leash, give a quick "nah" as you pop the dog back into place sharply, following up immediately with "good boy!" or "that's my girl" as the dog comes back into position. Be sure to make this exclamation very loud and happy. The dog will be momentarily disturbed by the negative correction coming from your leash, so your positive verbal correction must be loud enough to balance out things. What you are doing is providing negative and positive reinforcement in close succession, to achieve your objective of keeping your dog near your left leg. This means careful timing on your part. Under no circumstances should you verbally scold the dog for going out ahead or lagging. Use your voice positively in your heeling work. Keep the dog turned on, not off.

  As Una heels nicely by your side, it is important to introduce her to turns. At this level of training there are three you will teach: a right-hand turn, a 180-degree turn, and a left-hand turn. Since Una is not at the point in her training where she is giving you her undivided attention, for now we'll preface a right-hand turn with an encouraging, suspense-filled "Okay, Una, we're going to turn now, ready? Okay, here we go . . ." just a few seconds beforehand, followed by "Una, heel" as you turn, then praising her as she follows. Doing so focuses her attention, letting her see that you are changing directions and giving her the chance to speed up and stay with you. If you like, you can use a treat to induce this positioning also; however, some dogs get a bit wired if they know you have a treat in your hand. If that's the case with Una, simply offer her encouragement with your voice. Follow this strategy for both right-hand and about-face turns. Once she gets used to turning, you can dispense with the wordy preface and simply stick with the "Una, heel" immediately before your turn.

  To turn left, repeat the same sequence you used with the other turns, only now you'll need to slow down and draw your left hand back on the leash as you turn. Left-hand turns are particularly helpful for dogs who are not blatantly forging but are walking just a little out in front. A quick pop with the leash out over Una's head coupled with a "nah, heel," followed with praise and encouragement to watch you quickly teaches her to pay closer attention to you.

  Now we are ready to add a sit, eventually refining it to the point where it becomes automatic whenever you come to a stop. Since Una has a basic understanding of sit from puppy classes, it can be taught naturally in conjunction with the heel. (If your dog has no background in sit and is starting out cold, consult the next chapter for instructions on teaching a stationary sit.) As you heel back and forth, begin to attach a sit by gliding into it off a right-hand turn. The momentum Una builds up going around you makes it much easier to glide naturally into the sit. As you come to a stop, transfer your leash completely to your right hand, pulling up on it slightly. At the same time, with your left hand reach down and back and gently press down on Una's rear end, easing her into a sit as you say, "Una, sit." Praise her warmly. You can also move through this sequence using a treat to induce the

  To teach the sit from a heel position, crouch down and gently touch the dog's rear while you pull up on the leash.

  sit, which will probably make the touch on her rear unnecessary. Now work on getting her to sit as you walk along a straight line. Do a series of consecutive heel-sit-heel repetitions. Once she seems to be getting the idea, eliminate the left-hand push down (or make the treats increasingly intermittent) but continue to lift the leash ever so slightly, praising her lavishly as she responds to your command.

  Over the course of a week to ten days of daily practice, Una should be comfortable going into the sit whenever you give the command. Now, simply drop the command. Make the stop more deliberate by going into it with military-like precision and expect her to sit. If she does, warmly praise her (and/or give her a treat). If she does not, simply give a quick pop on the leash with "nah" and say, "Good girl," if she adjusts herself. Then immediately repeat the sequence. Over the course of several days Una will become increasingly conditioned to sit whenever you come to a stop. The key here is consistency. Once you begin working on the automatic sit, be resolved that your dog will sit each time you halt. Don't compromise unless you really want the dog to remain standing. You will appreciate the effort you've put into it when you come to a curb of a busy street and your dog sits without command, or when you are juggling a baby or a bag of groceries in your right arm and need to walk your dog with only your left hand on the leash. Dogs that heel correctly and sit automatically are a joy to introduce to guests. All that need be added is the "shake hands" trick for a truly impressive canine greeting!

  Possible Problems

  Particularly if you have not leash-trained your puppy early on, you may experience any number of problems when teaching heel, even if you have started in the gradual way we recommend. For example, some dogs respond to the early stages of heel by clutching their owner's left leg in fear. Others begin to play "top-toe" by placing a paw on the handler's left foot, ready to move out when the handler does. If you get either of these reactions, especially the first fearful
response, take things a bit slower. Chances are that you've been too quick with your dog while failing to include enough verbal encouragement. Stop, praise the dog, take a break together. Remember, every dog is an individual, and no single method of teaching any exercise is

  You can correct any forging ahead by quickly popping the training collar and walking in the opposite direction. Constant repetition of making turns to the right and to the left teaches the dog to be on the alert for your direction.

  absolutely right for every dog. Whenever you are training, be aware of what your dog is communicating —"read" her responses. Is she comprehending what you are doing? What do her eyes look like? Is she looking up at you? Never train any longer than twenty minutes. Two or three sessions a day are fine, if separated by several hours.

  On occasion, your dog may suddenly forge ahead unexpectedly toward some distraction. You can try any number of corrections. As your dog begins to move out after some distraction, or just by sheer whim, grasp the leash tightly, hold your arms close to your body, and turn sharply to the right. At the same time give a loud encouraging vocal correction, "Nah, this way, that's my girl!" or something to that effect. If your dog is large and takes you by surprise with a bolt, pass the leash behind you from the left and come to a complete stop. Proceed only when the dog is by your left side. Your left turns will no doubt be less precise than your right turns.

  If you have a dog who clutches your leg or hugs too close on left turns, give the leash a sharp pop away from your body as you turn into her. This helps move the dog out away from your body, preventing a trampling accident. As you continue to practice turns, have someone else watch you work with your dog and point out areas that

  It is helpful and more interesting to work on the heel with a group moving in a circle. You can go in either direction, always with your dog on your left.

  need improvement. An alternative is to train in front of a large plate-glass window or a sliding glass door and observe how you and your dog move as a team. Don't try to train completely alone. Constantly check and recheck your training guide, or consult an instructor.

  One woman who had her dog trained at New Skete returned one afternoon to show off her teamwork with her cocker spaniel. Following our instructions to conduct a twenty-minute training session daily, she had trained her dog to a near perfect heel — with the dog walking on her right side. We gently reminded her that the dog had initially been trained (correctly) to heel to the left of the handler and that this had been carefully explained in a demonstration and in literature accompanying our course. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "That's why I had so much trouble getting him to heel!"

  Another heeling problem involves the dog who is the vacuum cleaner, who will not pick her nose up off the ground. First, try using an object of attraction or a treat to get her head up and attention focused. Do a number of heel-sit sequences that are short and get her used to walking with her head up. Another approach is to, while you are walking with a loose leash, simply give gentle pops up when the dog's nose hits the ground. If there is no improvement, you may need to try using a prong collar, which is much more convincing. Again, keep the pops gentle and be very encouraging when her head stays up. Start with quick heel-sit sequences. Finally, a last alternative is to work in an area where there are distractions in the distance. This keeps the dog's interest up, again getting her used to walking properly.

  Leash biting is another common problem that can surface early on in leash training. In this situation the dog responds to correctional snaps by attacking the leash. Probably he was never properly exposed to a leash as a puppy. If your dog snaps at the leash, give a quick jerk with the slackened leash straight up so that the clip at the end of the leash knocks the dog's jaw. Most dogs let go quickly. When you begin again, walk at a normal pace with the leash loose. Another solution to leash grabbing is to decrease your physical corrections and increase your positive vocal reinforcement. Don't slacken off completely, but try to minimize your physical corrections and maximize your vocal encouragement, until the leash biting stops.

  "The mule act" is another common response, in which the dog braces his front and possibly hind feet and refuses to budge. The solution: keep going. Don't try to "talk it out" with the dog. Simply turn around, make eye contact for a moment, and announce, "Let's get going." Give the heel command again, tap your leg, and then walk. If you stop longer than a few seconds to have a heart-to-heart coaxing session, you are ultimately doing yourself and your dog a disservice. Dogs who stage the mule act are often leader-type dogs who are used to taking their supposed "masters" for walks. Remember, in all obedience exercises, you are reordering your leadership relationship with your dog; so, at some point you are bound to be at odds.

  You must curb all of the above problems as they happen. Don't wait until the next session. Your first heeling session might go smoothly, or it might be chaotic. Prepare yourself before you begin by reading all, not just part, of this book, making sure you understand the instructions. Practice the leash pop with a cooperative human*to help you sharpen your technique before you work with a dog. Finally, approach your initial heeling session calmly. Meditate with deep-breathing exercises just before you begin. Try to "center" on your objective of walking as a team with your dog.

  33

  The Stay

  The Sit and Stay

  If Una is accomplished at heeling and automatically sitting when you stop, you have already essentially mastered the sit. If this is not the case and you prefer to teach Una the sit first, follow this approach to teach her a stationary sit. First, have Una in a standing position to your left (both of you should be facing the same direction). As you crouch down beside her, put your right hand on Una's chest, above her forelegs. (If she is bouncy or restless, you can place your right hand under her collar at the back of her neck.) Now place your left hand on her upper shoulders or neck. Stroking your left hand smoothly down her back, continue over the tail and then tuck her into a sit by putting even pressure on her chest as you tuck her rear legs. Say, "Una, sit," as you do this, and praise her warmly. Una will be sitting on your left hand, and your right hand will keep her from moving. Hold that position for five seconds as you continue to praise her. Repeat this process at least five times in a row, over the course of two or three days' training.

  Next you can use a treat to help wean her away from having to be placed in the sit. With Una standing next to you, hold the treat in your right hand in front of her nose. Raise the treat slightly at a forty-fivedegree angle as you say, "Una, sit." As she sits, give her the treat and praise her. Do this several times. Following this procedure, Una will learn the sit in no time and you will be able to combine it with walking on leash as described in the previous chapter. However, if after working with her for several sessions, Una still has trouble obeying the sit command, then correct her using the "nah, sit" in conjunction with a crisper leash pop. Speed up the pace of your work a notch, and emphasize the command word sit a bit more. Barbara Woodhouse, the famous British trainer, got a lot of mileage out of emphasizing the t in sit. You can dispense with this emphasis as soon as Una becomes more consistent.

  There is one hand signal and one word common to all trainers in teaching the sit-stay. As they give the stay command, they bring their right hand in a sweeping motion directly in front of the dog's eyes, halting just before the dog's nose without touching it. Try this blocking hand motion on yourself a few times by bringing your hand toward your own face in a quick, sweeping motion. Stop sharply just before you reach your face. Your hand should be open, but your fingers should be closed together. You will note that the effect is dramatic — stay put. Make sure that your stay hand signal is quick. New handlers sometimes give the command several times, hesitantly, and then give a halfhearted, wimpy hand signal with the palm of their hand barely open. The dog naturally breaks the stay.

  The hand signal for the stay. Have the leash taut and up as you give the command to stay.

  The stay signal may be gi
ven with either hand.

  With your dog sitting on your left, give this hand signal with your right hand, and with your left hand hold the leash straight up, applying a little upward pressure. (Bunch up the lead before you give the hand signal so that there is only about six inches of extension, plus the three or four inches the snug training collar allows.) Let your hand remain before the dog's face for now, and your leash taut but not choking the dog. Give the stay command. (Don't preface it with Una's name, since it is not an active command.) As you say, "Stay," step out with your right foot first and turn to face the front of Una. Hold the stay for a few seconds, then return to her side and praise her (you may also treat). Lessen the amount of tension on the lead as you progress. Stay at this level until Una is holding the stay for fifteen to twenty-five seconds.

  Now you can begin to lengthen your distance after giving the stay command; however, go slowly and patiently. One of the reasons many owners have difficulty with the sit-stay is that they drop the leash far too quickly in the process. At this stage you need to be in a

  To reinforce the sit-stay, make eye contact, give the hand signal, and keep the leash up high.