Reply To: Problem with heeling

[zahed subhan subhan]

Thanks again Courtney. All great information. Clearly I have a lot to learn! I have signed on to the waiting list for the Foundation Style training method course..hopefully that will work out and I can go from there.

Your squeaky ball exercise had an interesting outcome: I took Kimba into the yard and followed your suggestions. He went for the “dead” ball and then immediately ran into the house and up the stairs with it and lay on his bed protectively. We tried it a few more times with the same outcome (before I cottoned on to shutting the door). He lost interest in going near it at that point. I will try again in a couple of days!

The heeling is going much better thank you. As you suggested, he is much more “compliant” when I’ve taken the time to take the edge off his quite high energy level (for an older dog). Distractions? Forget it! I try to take him where there are no dogs or people and until there are he is getting pretty good just with leash tension and release (I suppose these are tiny pops but just using wrist movement). It seems I am getting better at communicating with him through the leash at least.

I do have another question on marker words: I have been using “yes” as the marker (and then reward) and not “good boy”..mostly because I use that when praising him (so, also as the reward when I don’t give him a treat). I then use “free” as his release word, for example, at thresholds when he sits. I am sure the words themselves don’t matter as long as I am consistent but should he be
RELEASED (and also rewarded) immediately after the marker word? I think I got a bit confused when I was watching some Larry Krohn videos: he would say yes (in happy tones) and then the dog was automatically released but then he also emphasized the need for a release (“free dog” in his case).

Clear as mud huh?

Thanks again!

Zee