Sequencing Heeling for Teaching and Perfecting
How to TEACH & PEFECT Heeling
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Sequencing For Perfect Heeling
When starting to sequence skills together, I always want to make sure that:
- My dog understands MY criteria for all skills to be sequenced.
- My dog shows “DESIRE” to do the skill. This means he cannot wait to do it!
- I only sequence 2 “new” skills at a time.
- Once I have added those skills and my dog is performing the 2 sequenced skills, I randomly reward my dog to maintain the “desire” in each skill.
- There are always LOADS of reward and games to keep training fun and short sessions.
- A training session might look something like this. For this session, I will be sequencing a halt into straight line heeling.
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- At the start of my training, I will make sure my dog is engaged and ready to work.
- We play and then fall into straight line heeling slow pace. Fall into heeling means, I do not SIT my dog and then start heeling. Hahaha. That would actually be sequencing a sit into the start of heeling and a totally different training session.
- Once we are slowly heeling, I will do a game and play and then go back into slow heeling.
- Making sure my dog is focused and in an active state of mind, I will say “SIT” as I plant my left foot and bring my right foot up to stop. More on “adding sits” to heeling later in class.
- I will immediately praise and reward my dog while in the sit and then break into a game.
- Only when my dog is proficient and confident doing the slow straight line heeling into a halt will I try the same training in a normal pace. It is all this extra time spent on the “FUNdation” that creates the “DESIRE” to love heeling. Hahaha. Yes, I love to make up words! “FUNdation” is fun and foundation work.
- Beginning to sequence skills BEFORE sufficient DESIRE has been built may result into poor attitude and focus. Take your time to build up “DESIRE” for a skill before adding it to other skills or in a sequence. In order to build it sufficiently, use really high value treats/toys. Make sure your dog is hungry and wants your attention. With time and patience, your dog will LOVE the skill.
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PLEASE add YOUR comments Below!
Thanks Debby for all your excellent tips! I have a Yorkie puppy who will hugely benefit from them!
Delighted you are enjoying posts and have great fun with that pup!
QUESTION – Would you normally sequence as many different skills together in one training session. I’m not asking about linking them all together into a larger sequence – I understand that you wouldn’t do that at this stage. I’m wondering if you would do as many two sequence combinations as you demonstrated in your video.
Hi and thanks for the question. It really depends on the level of training the dog has and how much desire for training. The more desire and experience the more we can sequence different skills.