DIG Left Turn
How to TEACH & PEFECT Heeling
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Teaching DIG LEFT TURN
REMINDER – DIG= DISTRACTIONS INITIATE GAMES
Often a distraction can cause your dog to lose focus, to worry, or even create a negative experience for your dog. However, distracting situations are a perfect time for you to turn a possible “negative” experience for your dog into a “positive” one. If trained appropriately, not only will your dog become more confident, but he will “try harder” and learn to focus more intensely on you no matter what the situation.
DIG is an introduction into proofing and can determine how your dog responds to pressure. It is teaching your dog how to be successful when faced with new locations, environments, and or people. In addition, it is teaching your dog that distractions both visual and auditory, are a rewarding cue to your dog.
This skill cannot be rushed! Work on the DIG skill a few minutes in every training session.
DIG ~ Introduce Left Turn
- BEFORE training the DIG with the Left Turn, make sure your dog needs to know the left turn concept.
- Start heeling out of play. RESIST the habit of always starting your heeling with your dog in an SIT!
- Heel forward staying at least 10-12” laterally from barrier.
- As you do the Left Turn, reward and release your dog DURING the turn. The idea is to make the heads up in the turn desirable.
- PRE signs of a head drop/lose of focus, can include: your dog dropping his head, changing his gait, ears going back, his mouth closed or opened, etc. Basically any sign that he knows you are approaching something. Your dog may not actually LOOK at the barrier. In most cases a dog gives “PRE” signs before actually looking. Your job is to be able to see the PRE signs!
- Please take your time when teaching and training DIG to your dog.
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