TRAIN THIS FIRST! Loose Leash Walking Foundation: Come to Heel

[@emmaschwab1890]

I really love how you broke down the human mechanics and the dog mechanics separately. It really helps to separate yourself from the dog when learning new skills!!

[@DoggyU]

Good human mechanics are a huge part of desired results :)

[@haventli]

I definitely found this video helpful. One of my dogs is a mind reader and has figured out how to heel despite my poor training. The other comes 3/4 of the way around that U and kind of shuffles her feet. She teaches me so much about myself. 😅 Anyway, I'll definitely be working on our heel with this info. Thanks, Laura!

[@DoggyU]

Don't you love when they just figure it out despite us? Jake was like that - that's why CoolWhip came along - to make me work for it 😆

[@SD-my9so]

You are a very good teacher. Learn much from your videos. Also you have a great personality.

[@nadinabbott3991]

Lobo is doing great. We are back to basics in the sense we use it when we get out of the apartment. We have started working on turns. Our command is short. It honors his older brother (who died in june) and it’s not the usual command. Fun fact, the coast guard used it with Dexter. As to the treat pouch…I sometimes use my pant pocket. Works great, but never have more 8n there than working with lobo. We had to discover the commands once we knew he was a MWD. Even though he was extremely well trained, we reinforced training all the time. So we know Lobo will be well trained, but it don’t end once they are “trained.” I also find short intense sessions to be more effective than a longer one.

[@MarleneSAyres]

I find so much valuable instruction from you!!!

[@DoggyU]

Thank you Marlene! Getting these types of comments makes all the (boring) time editing these videos worth it

[@AthenaStanley24]

I have really bad anxiety so I like that dogs go off physically cues instead of verbal ones. It means I can give my dog commands without other people knowing

[@DoggyU]

Definitely helps to have both physical and verbal cues that you can use interchangeably as needed!

[@MannaAzad]

My dogs deaf. I use physical and visual cues. I LOVE her training!

[@valeriefuquanOreo]

Great breakdown. IDK how you do it but you always seem to put out the video I need most when I need it! Thanks for all that you do

[@DoggyU]

Oh I love to hear that Valerie!! Have a great weekend!

[@korihaarz9191]

Oh I LOVE this! This is an entirely different way that I learned to teach heel. I think Winry's going to get a real kick out of this method - it's perfect for her!

[@DoggyU]

Awesome! Glad it was helpful!

[@asecretcourtofcrowsandcloc4084]

Great video Laura. Thanks so much. This one came at the perfect time for me. My daughter and I had to take a break from public access work for a while we worked on other things and we’re just getting back into it now and I’ve been reviewing basics with her at home but some of the foundational stuff like healing things are that I never taught her in the first place because I received her from a program where she had already learned it. and I was just saying to myself yesterday how I really want to break down of a good way to do And this was a perfect video show me how to do that so thanks very much. Could you make a similar one on how to teach a back block. My dog and I have been working on that for a bit and she’s definitely making progress but it’s hard for me to get her to stay straight behind me sometimes she kind of comes into half a heel.

[@DoggyU]

I'm so glad this video was helpful! Are you over on Patreon? I actually have a video on the beginning steps of teaching a back block over there right now. You can find it here: www.patreon.com/posts/block-cover-dog-82717698

[@cindyroaneagle9996]

I'm a owner trainer and I have taught my dog to heel off leash and I am teaching him to heel on his leash great video!!

[@DoggyU]

So glad this video is helpful!

[@michellejeffries8882]

Great video and I love that you go step by step :)

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Michelle!

[@Shadyduckgardens]

You have the best videos, thank you!

[@DoggyU]

Thank you so much! Happy Training!

[@afronabdo3774]

Can you please do a tutorial on how to teach hug? I want to learn how to do this with my next guide dog. Thank you.

[@DoggyU]

Hey Afron - what type of hug are you talking? I use "hug" for DPT, but I also use hug for when I want them to hug for when they use their front arms to wrap around something?

[@lindamason8073]

I love how you show the complete move in detail and how you referred to other videos that are related to this. Thanks a bunch😊

[@DoggyU]

You're welcome Linda!

[@johnbasedow]

Really enjoy your vids. My 2 year old Schipperke and I are about to start obedience and agility competitions. Your training tips fill in a lot of gaps and also provide some different ways of doing or thinking about things. Great work. Thanks. 💪🏼🐺

[@DoggyU]

Thanks for taking the time to comment John! I've never gotten the chance to work with a Schipperke but they look like such fun dogs! Have fun together!

[@pattirittman9029]

Great information! I love how you break it down into many steps for both human and dog.

[@DoggyU]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@AnonymousPerson488]

Great video. Ty!

[@DoggyU]

So glad it was helpful!

[@zvm5372]

My german Shepherd puppy that i got at 8 weeks and shes already healing at 11 weeks bc of you (im training her to be my psychiatric service🐕)

[@DoggyU]

Yayy! I’m so glad my videos are helpful! Happy training! 💜💜💜😊

[@khanhhm5762]

This is a great video. My former obedience instructor taught me to teach my dog Griet to heel in a similar way, and how you've broken things down reminds me of how much I miss her. You have a natural gift for teaching both humans and dogs. I know it's impossible because I'm in WI and you're probably not taking clients, but man, I wish I could work with you in person on teaching this to the ratties that I raise. I find it much easier to teach the bigger dogs because it's easier for me to reach out and see what they're doing, plus their movements in the beginning are easier for me to read than the littler guys. The ratties do eventually learn, but I know there are some things I could be doing better in teaching them. Why aren't transporters available yet? "Beam me up, Laura, for a training lesson." I'll pay whatever fee as long as the fee isn't my dog. ::LOL::

[@DoggyU]

I'm so glad you're enjoying the training! You're correct in that I'm not taking new clients at this time. I do get that working with the smaller dogs can be tougher sometimes. I recommend using a mirror to help to be able to see what's going on down there on those short legs. Happy Training! (let me know when you invent a transporter!)

[@khanhhm5762]

@@DoggyU Hi Laura, thanks for your comment. I know, how about if you clone yourself and then you could be in multiple spaces at once to train those of us who want to work with you and who are willing to pay you? No? Oh poo!! A mirror wouldn't work because I don't have any sight. It's easier with a bigger dog because I can more easily feel what he is doing through the leash or if I reach down. So far, with the littles, I start by working with them at my level--or rather me at theirs. So we do a lot of position work with the dog on an adjustable platform thingie. When they're finally on the ground and when possible, I borrow someone's eyes--usually my fiance's who is not at all a dog person--and we have a series of cues that he rapidly gives me if the dog moves out of position etc. This isn't always possible since I don't expect someone with working eyes to be with me all the time. ::LOL:: I also use a four-ft leash that's made very similar to the guide dog leash---the one I currently have is a braided nylon one--and that helps mostly. But I'm sure there are little things that I could be doing better. I find that the littler the ratty, the harder it is for me, especially the teenier puppies. Since I'll never train professionally, I prfer to work with the bigger ones as much as possible. Please either consider cloning yourself or travelling to alternate universes and convincing other yous to come back here. But make sure that the other Lauras are as nice as you; if you bring back the evil Lauras, they might destroy the world. ::LOL:: I like Science Fiction too much!

[@DoggyU]

@@khanhhm5762 Ah! I didn't realize! A mirror definitely isn't a good solution then. But starting them up on a pedestal definitely is! Sounds like you've made some awesome adaptations!

[@tinasterry5651]

How brilliant are you....and your dog!! I love your step by step breakdown of this, will definitely be trying this. Thank you (Dublin, Ireland ☘️)

[@DoggyU]

Dublin! That's a new one for me! Thanks for taking the time to comment on this one. So glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@katieMichigan]

thanks for the video. Really helpful:) My dog pops out of the heel position often, do I just keep resetting?? Service dog in training. Alos she will bring her bottom around when walking really slow so she is like sideways to my leg?? any suggestions.

[@DoggyU]

Hey Katie - if you haven’t checked out my full loose leash walking playlist, I would do that now. You want to start with the video on better walking without a leash, which will teach your dog to choose to heel by your side, and make sure you’re rewarding from the hand on the same side your dog is on. Then progress to the figure 8 exercise. Hope that helps!

[@KellyLS716]

I was wondering if you teach heel for service dogs the same way as an obedience heel, or are there some little differences? For example, I've taken an FDSA class on obedience heel and it starts with pivoting around the target, I wondered if you do that too or do you not feel it is necessary for getting the type of heel you want? Does your figure 8 work replace the pivot bowl? Thanks!

[@DoggyU]

I personally do teach my dog a pivot in heel. I don't think it's 100% necessary, but it's very useful for teaching the body awareness they benefit from when doing public access. One thing that's different about the way I teach heel for service work vs. obedience is less of a focus on eye contact, and more on position. It's not particularly useful to have a service dog that stares up at you all the time, and it's also not sustainable. While I start with training eye contact in heel, I eventually begin marking and rewarding just for maintaining position. This ensures that the dog doesn't tire and can also look where they're going. Service dogs are required to maintain a heel position for much longer than an obedience routine and we want them to be comfortable. Also thanks for the question! Great topic for a video!

[@KellyLS716]

@@DoggyU Thanks, Laura! I've been advised that teaching my dog a focused heel could be a good skill to have to keep him walking next to me instead of crouching/lying down and stalking things coming towards us on walks such as on rail trails. I'm not sure if a "focused heel" is more like the service dog version or the obedience version. I probably do need him to do it as a intense working behavior if I'm going to use it to get past exciting things, so maybe he does need to look at me, although that would probably make him more nervous about what he can't see coming, so I don't know! I think it's probably for a shorter duration than a service dog would need, depending on how many things are coming towards us that he is trying to stalk. I'd love to see a video on the topic!

[@DoggyU]

@@KellyLS716 yeah so in that case you've been advised to use eye contact essentially as a management tool (I literally just wrote about that in my outline for this video LOL!) - it's a great option to get you started, but it does function as management (ie. you can't stalk something if you aren't looking at it because you're focusing upwards at your human - just like your dog can't jump on a person if they're sitting - incompatible behavior). I think that's a great way to get started and then eventually you can wean off to a more passive service dog heel once you're having an easier time walking by distractions. Engage Disengage could be helpful as a compliment as well when working through distractions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2aycoF9fJhnaLs

[@SkipKiplinger]

your videos are great, thanks!

[@DoggyU]

Thanks os much Skip! 🥰

[@Jessmeee808]

Thank you for posting this video! I am so sorry, but may I please ask a question unrelated to this video? Could you please share what do you like to use for flea and tick prevention? Thank you so much if you are reading this!!!

[@DoggyU]

Hey Jess! Thanks for the question! Unfortunately, because flea/tick products tend to be regional, and this advice should be given from a licensed veterinarian in your area, I'm not the best person to ask this question to.

[@Offishal_Lifestyle]

Like button booped and training started

[@Shawna_Reppert]

Hey, do you have any advice for someone who has back and knee issues and is training a Corgi? It's physically difficult for me to hold the treat in front of his nose, especially while walking with the leash in the right hand like the puppy class instructor demands.

[@DoggyU]

Yes - use peanut butter on a long spoon or shoe horn. Put the peanut butter (or similar substance your dog likes) open and in your treat pouch and then you can dip it in as needed to treat. That prevents bending down but still allows the dog to be rewarded in position. I show it a bit at the end of this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqSqnoGLnNSsbKs

[@Tazylou]

Is there any reason for teaching heel to your left ? I'm so much more comfortable having him on my right.. does it matter ? Thank you

[@DoggyU]

There is no reason you can't train your dog on the right. I trained guide dogs for a long time which are always trained on the left. Traditionally, your dog was trained on your left because your horse/firearm/sword was on your right. But if you don't need to lead a horse or you're not carrying a sword, you're probably good for right side heeling :)

[@_roshi]

do you use a cue for letting your pups go out ahead, like on a hike or sniff walk? in other words not sure how to communicate that this is a walk where we heel vs it's okay to meander this time

[@DoggyU]

So if I'm not changing equipment/leash location than I use the cue "go sniff".

[@robertk-qn6mg]

does this work with a wheelchair? Thank you for your content btw.

[@DoggyU]

You may have to modify a bit, use a target stick potentially for reach, or put peanut butter on a spoon, but yes, the concept definitely works!

[@suewinter9135]

Great Video , when do you lure out the clicker ? l enjoy watching and learning from you ...

[@DoggyU]

Hey Sue! I'm not sure what you mean by "lure the clicker". Can you let me know and I'll try my best to answer! Thanks so much!

[@suewinter9135]

@@DoggyU oops sorry l meant too say when do you start too stop using the clicker ? or do you do it slowly ..? thank you so much for replying ..

[@DoggyU]

@@suewinter9135 I generally only use the clicker for skill acquisition. Once they understand the skill I will move to a verbal marker.

[@suewinter9135]

@@DoggyU Thankyou .. l am going through training my dog now , she is a 10mth old rottweiler . Hoping too train her up as an assistances dog. we are just having a few issues with cues as was thinking maybe the clicker would help me a bit better .. she will be a mind health dog in Australia they help with serve Anxiety / panic Attacks .. they can be certified just like a guide dog .. if she doesn't make it l will still love her . hoping too join your patreon soon

[@DoggyU]

@@suewinter9135 Ah, yes! I have a colleague in Australia who explained the system to me. Good luck with your training!

[@jisley63]

Hey question can u do a video on how a service dog or get a service dog to go potty in public relief areas mine is rather shy in public but goes to bathroom at home outside he’d rather hold it on trips.

[@DoggyU]

Hi Jisley! I actually address this in my most recent livestream. Check it out here: kzbin.infoL8YZJBvC98g?feature=share

[@julietmattocktana]

Love this, but I have a couple questions. What do you do to keep them in that position? I'm working with a cocker spaniel puppy and he lures into position well but often just walks away after two or three treats are given. He acts like he gets bored or distracted and doesn't care. I've tried high value treats, tuna, chicken, ham, bacon, beef, regular dog treats and cheese. Npthing works for his motivation. I swear this dog has HDHD.

[@DoggyU]

I like to use the "join up" or choose to heel model, which you can check out in the video list in the description. That being said, we want to have appropriate expectations for a puppies age and attention span. I also want to make sure I'm structuring my sessions to be successful. Here's two videos that might have some tips that will help with cultivating enthusiasm for the work: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYrWYpVrjdWEZ8U kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZCZi6Whiainl5Y

[@AliG-qp4fy]

How do you make him stay in a heal without constantly breaking it on a walk?

[@jasonhampel4113]

Hi there I had a question. I’m training my own guide dog and I’ve come across a problem I can’t seem to solve. When my dog is guiding me she walks at angle putting her front paws in front of my feet any advice?

[@DoggyU]

Without seeing the behavior, it would be impossible to give you an accurate diagnosis or resolution. That being said, this type of behavior can mean that she's worried about, or you have previously stepped on her, typically in the high end. Tilting her front end towards you pushed the hind end further away. You may want to consider an offset handle that puts you further from your dog by a few inches. But, like I said, I would not be able to make recommendations without seeing the behavior, and unfortunately, I'm not taking clients at this time. I recommend you reach out to local guide dog schools and see if they have any trainers that do training outside of the school. Hope that helped!

[@khanhhm5762]

This response is way late after your comment was posted because I just watched the video, but maybe this will help. I'm a fellow owner trainer, and I agree with Laura that without either seeing the behavior or having an in depth discussion, it's impossible to provide more solid suggestions. I don't know if you did have success with guide dog schools helping--I don't think most schools are willing to assist owner trainers, though I never tried with my own owner trained dog because I knew my program wouldn't help and I had a solid network of fellow owner trainers to work with.If you haven't done so already, I would encourage you to reach out to fellow guide owner trainers. Guide dog owner trainers are fewer than service dog owner trainers but there are some amazing and very talented people out there who have trained multiple dogs. Meghan Whalen, Rox'E Homstad, Julie Johnson, Brooke Silloby and Cheree Heppe are some of the owner trainers who have a lot of experience. Perhaps you've already figured out the solution to your issue. When I had a similar issue, it was because of how I was positioning my body and moving, inadvertently crowding her. Good luck, and I hope you were able to have your problem resolved.

[@greysonjolliffe8665]

How would the mechanics work with a wheelchair?

[@DoggyU]

Hey Greyson! Unfortunately, wheelchair loose leash walking/mechanics is not my specialty within service dogs and I would hate to give you incorrect information. I'm actually taking a course on it right now to improve my knowledge (check out Donna Hill's Wheelchair LLW Mechanics course). That being said, the first two exercises would be the same, though you may want to use a different reinforcement strategy (like peanut butter on a spoon). Hope that at least directs you to a better resource for your needs! Best, Laura

[@kenlu4786]

5:52

[@embolem95]

how does someone teach their dock to touch your hand when the dog is super tiny?

[@DoggyU]

If you've got a super tiny dog, I recommend using a target stick. You teach them to touch the target first, outside of the come to heel and then use that target to teach the come to heel. You can buy extendy ones like this: amzn.to/4bpcSsz Hope that helps!

[@RobiPerk0125]

Please do a Video training with a NON trained dog that way is more realistic expectations thank u

[@DoggyU]

Hey Robi - you might find this video helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raPHaWyYf9meaJosi=KORkd69biTaapzRC

[@Skampino]

So you teach front foot hand touch before all this? Then put that in the video 1st

[@DoggyU]

If i put it in the video first, people don't watch the video 🤷‍♀️ Plus I already have videos on those foundational skills.

[@masonmcdowell9755]

Why do you if you are in a power wheelchair

[@DoggyU]

I'd likely approach it in a slightly different way, using a hind end pivot and platform. That being said, I'm not an expert on wheelchair use, and am actually in a class now to increase my knowledge in that area. But for questions regarding heeling with a wheelchair, I would check out Donna Hill's wheelchair loose leash walking course. Hope that helps!

[@RobiPerk0125]

First I want to see a video training a Husky , and not a already trained dog like the one the u use in ur videos, and another thing is I will love to see a Husky cause I have two , I want to see how to walk on heel position with 2 dogs at the same time .

[@nikkinyx3732]

I have a cane corso and mix breed, but you can do this with any breed. It’s most easy to do it with imo with heeler type dogs like ones in the video, they are super fun to work with.

[@nikkinyx3732]

Start with one dog that, then work with the other one on the other side… call each side a different name… maybe heel and side -