Sorrell
If you're a bird, I'm a bird
Here ya go, hope this is what you had in mind...pretty wordy but it's hard to describe somethings that you are used to demonstrating!
Heel position is when the area from the dog's head to his shoulders is in line with the handlers hip with the dog on the left side. To teach a proper heel, you must first teach the position in place. The best way to do this is to teach right turns and about turns. With these two turns the dog is able to follow your leg around, making it easier to stay in position because you are walking away form the dog instead of into it.
To preform a right turn, say "Rover heel" and take a LARGE step to the right with your left leg. Always start on the left leg when you want the dog to come with you. Bring your right foot to your left and have the dog sit next to you. You should have made a quarter turn after one step. Wait five second and preform this again. This should be done five times in a row, with praise after each sit, but do not pet until the exercise is finished. The dog is likely to leave heel position if you pet.
Next is the about turn. With dog in position say "Rover heel" take two steps forward leading with the left leg, turn in place 180 degrees away from the dog and take two more steps forward. Have the dog sit by your side. Repeat this five times with praise and pet at the end.
Always start with these two exercises, then move on to actual walking on the leash. The less contact you have with the leash the better. When the dog leaves heel position give one quick correction and immediately release the tension and praise the dog for returning to heel position. Stay very active in your heeling so that the dog is always having to pay attention. Do many about turns as you walk. If one of my dogs is not paying attention, I will quickly turn and head the other direction! If you keep them guessing as to where you might head next, they will learn to stay in position. Only free heel free three minutes at a time without taking breaks. Your dog will lose interest or start lagging behind you. For starters work in a clockwise direction, so the dog is always to the outside of the circle.
To teach a stay, begin with your dog sitting beside you (every excercise starts like this). Place your right hand directly in front of the dogs face and say "Stay" no name-the dog is not coming with you! Return your hand to your side and pivot directly in front of the dog. Maintain tension on the leash holding directly over the dogs head so that he is held in a sit. Count to ten (In your head, or you'll teach your dog that 10 means the end of the exercise!) and pivot back, wait another two seconds and release the dog with "OK" or "Realease" and praise. Repeat this three times. After the dogs has done this perfectly then you can move a farther distance, at this point your feet should be almost touching his. Stays are the hardest thing to be re-taught so go extremely slow from the start and you'll have a great stay that is fool-proof in no time.
These things I have just outlined would be part of my first weeks class. Ideally they should be practiced at home for about 15 minutes a day for a week and then things can progress. I hope this has been a helpful starter, and if you would like I can help you further as your dog makes progress.
Heel position is when the area from the dog's head to his shoulders is in line with the handlers hip with the dog on the left side. To teach a proper heel, you must first teach the position in place. The best way to do this is to teach right turns and about turns. With these two turns the dog is able to follow your leg around, making it easier to stay in position because you are walking away form the dog instead of into it.
To preform a right turn, say "Rover heel" and take a LARGE step to the right with your left leg. Always start on the left leg when you want the dog to come with you. Bring your right foot to your left and have the dog sit next to you. You should have made a quarter turn after one step. Wait five second and preform this again. This should be done five times in a row, with praise after each sit, but do not pet until the exercise is finished. The dog is likely to leave heel position if you pet.
Next is the about turn. With dog in position say "Rover heel" take two steps forward leading with the left leg, turn in place 180 degrees away from the dog and take two more steps forward. Have the dog sit by your side. Repeat this five times with praise and pet at the end.
Always start with these two exercises, then move on to actual walking on the leash. The less contact you have with the leash the better. When the dog leaves heel position give one quick correction and immediately release the tension and praise the dog for returning to heel position. Stay very active in your heeling so that the dog is always having to pay attention. Do many about turns as you walk. If one of my dogs is not paying attention, I will quickly turn and head the other direction! If you keep them guessing as to where you might head next, they will learn to stay in position. Only free heel free three minutes at a time without taking breaks. Your dog will lose interest or start lagging behind you. For starters work in a clockwise direction, so the dog is always to the outside of the circle.
To teach a stay, begin with your dog sitting beside you (every excercise starts like this). Place your right hand directly in front of the dogs face and say "Stay" no name-the dog is not coming with you! Return your hand to your side and pivot directly in front of the dog. Maintain tension on the leash holding directly over the dogs head so that he is held in a sit. Count to ten (In your head, or you'll teach your dog that 10 means the end of the exercise!) and pivot back, wait another two seconds and release the dog with "OK" or "Realease" and praise. Repeat this three times. After the dogs has done this perfectly then you can move a farther distance, at this point your feet should be almost touching his. Stays are the hardest thing to be re-taught so go extremely slow from the start and you'll have a great stay that is fool-proof in no time.
These things I have just outlined would be part of my first weeks class. Ideally they should be practiced at home for about 15 minutes a day for a week and then things can progress. I hope this has been a helpful starter, and if you would like I can help you further as your dog makes progress.