[RemisGunner]

BACKGROUND:

My 20 week BLM has started teething and so I decided I would start working obedience more than retrieves (although he shows no signs of pain or discomfort when doing so). He does very well with the sit, here, and heel commands already but sometimes he doesn't do them immediately upon command and so I want to clean them up and make them them immediate and clean. I introduced him to the choker with a 30' check cord and walked around the yard the first day just to let him get used to them together. I started slowly and began working the "sit" command. He did pretty good but was a little confused at first as to why I was using the collar and check cord. I kept the training light hearted and short and praised him when appropriate. Next I started the "here" command which he did okay with but comes to me a lot harder and more direct off the check cord. I stuck with it for a little bit longer, again keeping it light hearted and short. I finally tried the "heel" command. This is where I got concerned. Off the check cord with his informal training he would heel pretty well, he would sometimes try to walk ahead of me, but he was raring to go. As soon as I tried to have him heel with the check cord and collar he would act like he just got beaten (never have done that). His ears would roll back and he would lower his head. When I would start to walk and say "heel" he would hold back and not want to walk beside me. I give a couple of short tugs on the cord and collar and say "heel" again but he still doesn't want to walk beside me. I am pretty sure that I am not going to have to be forceful with him during his phases of training, because he can be timid in some areas but hard charging in others. I am following Evan Graham's SmartWorks program but I don't have his Obedience DVDs yet in order to follow those but I am trying to apply the principles outlined in the SmartWork I.

QUESTIONS

Am I expecting too much too soon? Should I continue and just exercise patience and calmness? Should I wait until I get Evan's DVDs on OB training? I don't want to skip the prescribed formal obedience training but I don't want to go backwards with him either. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Jason Brion]

It depends on the pup. Some mature faster than others. I would really praise him when he heals at your side. And make sure to keep sessions short. Let him run around with the cord while do fun retrieves and exploring.

 

[Furball]

Hello!
When you are giving him pops on the leash for lagging you are telling him that getting CLOSER to you is a BAD thing (closer to person = person tugs on collar). Use your VOICE, clap and encourage him, use treats to get him up to your side. Use a ball or bumper to get him to walk next to you. Once he gets the general idea you can drop these crutches but they will be helpful to get him to ignore the leash. Pulling on the leash to get a dog to heel and stop lagging just does not work. If they are lagging it's because they don't like the situation or are not confident, giving them corrections because of it won't help change their mind on the situation.
Best of luck!
--Anney

 

[ramblinmaxx]

Continue to work on a crisp here command. Mix in with sit, and just get him coming well on "here" and sitting well at a remote on "sit". When you have here and sit going really well, then use here as your command even when you want him to walk at heel. Save the "heel" command for when you want him to back up. That part will come later when you start working on lining drills.

Good Luck with your pup,
Marty

 

[buckeyegundogs]

Continue to work on a crisp here command. Mix in with sit, and just get him coming well on "here" and sitting well at a remote on "sit". When you have here and sit going really well, then use here as your command even when you want him to walk at heel. Save the "heel" command for when you want him to back up. That part will come later when you start working on lining drills.

Good Luck with your pup,
Marty

Good answer Marty


Brad

 

[RemisGunner]

Okay guys, thanks for the tips. I will continue with your recommendations.

 

[Ga Woodrow]

I would definitley listen to Marty on this one.