Gun Dog Forum

So I'm working on heel work with my golden, he's a little over 5 months and weighs 50 lbs. He's doing very well with basic heel work on a loose check cord. I've even taken the check cord off for short periods and he's done great. One command I'm trying to get down is the sit, say, here to heel position command. He's had the sit, stay, here commands down for months. But now that we're working on heel work, I figured we could get him to heel to the HERE command. I've tried luring him into the heel position with the check cord, but he's being VERY stubborn about it. He'll try to sit down right in front of me and and I'd REALLY have to drag him forcefully to get him into the heel position. Any ideas to help get this down? Maybe treats? Thanks in advance!

Put him on lead or cc, and do recalls, whirling him into heel position as he comes front. Keep him moving, even if you have to back up - don’t let him stop or sit until he’s in position.

You could try as he’s coming in, to step up into his side, forcing him to turn 180*, then you stop and he sits.

Is he having to unlearn what you’ve previously accepted? If so, lesson learned...think everything through to your desired finished product, so you build a foundation that you don’t need to redo later.

Good luck, he sounds willing, and smart.

First of all, he's five months old, so I wouldn't use a lot of force at all. Keep his attitude up.

Second of all, you can keep on teaching recall to front and then a finish separately as long as you want (and should). It will be easy for him to go directly to heel once he's got a firm grasp on where it is ,which he does not at this time. In obedience circles, Novice dogs do an automatic finish all the time, and it costs points. You have to work to prevent them from getting sloppy like that. Teach the exercises as two, not one. He'll do an automatic if you encourage him (or even don't prevent him) when he figures out where it is. Food is helpful for teaching a finish. Don't forget to praise.

Good Luck !
Going by your first few posts ,it's probably best that you seek some guidance first hand with someone that you like and a philosophy that pleases you for all these very basic obedience issues.
Best Regards

Here is an example Hope it helps. This not precision heel work but more than adequate for a shooting dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIvqaU5A8Wc
Hal

gundogguy wrote:Here is an example Hope it helps. This not precision heel work but more than adequate for a shooting dog.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIvqaU5A8Wc
Hal

Good ole' Jeremy
He should have made sure the slip lead was on the right way ,rather than trying to do a promo clip .
Fortunately he used a dog that already knows how to heel, like many others show . :roll:

Lovely "heel" from that dog. Totally useless to the student as to how the dog got there....just as Polmaise stated.

I have had Goldens for over 25 years. Our basic obedience is done working with a trainer we meet with twice a week, other dogs are also in the classes. We like this trainer because he believes in using a pinch collar to train with.

I know many disagree with this, but if used properly it speeds up the training process and makes the move to use of an e-collar much easier. No one should ever use a pinch collar or e collar without first being trained by a professional trainer on the proper use of these collars. Prong collars work amazingly well for teaching Sit (means stay also), Down, Heel, and Here!

A few years ago, one of our Gun Dog trainers up in Illinois recommended a new style of pinch collar that is covered, so others cannot see what you have on the dog, it does not have any pinch prongs around the throat area, and it does not come off or cannot be put on the dog wrong (which is a major problem with the traditional prong collars). You can see and/or order one of these, Secret Power Training Collars, at www.lolalimited.net

Sit,Stay and Heel are all different stages that require Transition for a pup.
'Heel work' , 'Lead Introduction' .
This first clip hopefully illustrates why I personally don't have anything around their neck until I have established a few behaviours that will enhance the transition.
1. The young pup is happy and comfortable being next to you
2. The pup is happy to have something in it's mouth on the move
3. The Pup is happy to have that thing in it's mouth when you are touching it.
4.The earlier conditioning of putting the lead on and off the dog when we were in the back yard or kennel made it 'rewarding' to actually get the lead on
5.I never talk to them ,up until now the only word I have ever said to Druid is 'Sit' .
Showing the behaviour we want rather than restraining the behaviour the dog is doing ,the ''transition'' is quicker and less confrontation.
Having the 'thing it likes' in it's mouth stops any possibility of 'chew' 'mouth' the lead or sniff or be distracted by any scents or movements.
Jump ups' are ignored rather than chastised,continual praise is encouraged when the position is achieved by touch rather than 'verbal'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjgSn1bmob0
Stage two puts them together

Thanks for the replies everyone. This is my first pup I've trained for hunting. I'm learning to be more patient and let things work out. After about a week, Dax is doing perfect with returning the bumpers to the heel position, I'm very proud of him
!!!