Interesting information to get your dog to heel!

[DunbarKev]

Dan, if she does not pull while on the lead then why not walk her on the lead when you want her beside you.  How is her recall, does she come back to you when you call her?

[rubytuesday007]

How old is Brodie Dan? It has taken me until Ruby was 13 months to perfect heel on a lead and to be honest sometimes she gets ahead of herself.. She's a spaniel she'd sooner have her nose to the ground! But when it comes to her gundog training so off lead which I have found slight differences going between obedience and gundog training as they say you can't use treats.. We carry a ball or other item that she likes and although she is not quite velcroed to my leg she isn't running around and off on her own adventure..
Good luck with training Dan it's hard slow work but it seemed to all of a sudden come together for Ruby and she's now a lot better post season!

[riotous_uk]

Hmm..rattling keys are not for me and my cocker is being trained for the shooting field. Didn't need to use such methods to teach my SWDs (for gundog work) to stick close when asked/required so won't be using them on my cocker either. Working on their focus and general self-control is the way I went. don't have to use food, there are other rewards that you cna use that are just as effective and I'd rather use reward based methods than punishment

[Karma]

For off-lead heeling we used either targetting (teach dog to target your leg with their shoulder) or treats....
Worked well enough in our obedience classes....

But, to be honest, the loose-lead training Bluebell copied above would also work - as the idea of the training is that the lead never gets taut and the dog learns the position as being the important thing, it can be done without a lead just as easily...    (In fact some pups found it easier to learn without the lead first, as they were nervous of the lead!)

[Bluebell]

For off-lead heeling we used either targetting (teach dog to target your leg with their shoulder) or treats....
Worked well enough in our obedience classes....

But, to be honest, the loose-lead training Bluebell copied above would also work - as the idea of the training is that the lead never gets taut and the dog learns the position as being the important thing, it can be done without a lead just as easily...    (In fact some pups found it easier to learn without the lead first, as they were nervous of the lead!)

I definitely found this the case with my lot

[Emilyoliver]

Does anyone have a gundog training book to recommend to Dan? All the different suggestions can be quite confusing and I would hazard a guess that heelwork training for a working gundog differs from that for a pet that you just don't want pulling on the lead?  The end result required differs somewhat.

[Lily Freya]

Dan...as my mother always said...'there is no right or wrong, but there most definitely is OPINION.'

Never a truer word spoken.  I believe that you mean well for your dog, and that you would never use cruel techniques....if it works for you and your dog, then it's good.

However, there are people who have expertise in these areas, and they naturally believe in what they are doing too.

Try to take the emotion out of all this, and have a go at what is being suggested.

Xxx

[Patp]

Dan...as my mother always said...'there is no right or wrong, but there most definitely is OPINION.'

Never a truer word spoken.  I believe that you mean well for your dog, and that you would never use cruel techniques....if it works for you and your dog, then it's good.

However, there are people who have expertise in these areas, and they naturally believe in what they are doing too.

Try to take the emotion out of all this, and have a go at what is being suggested.

Xxx

Well said  

[Millomite]

Dan

I'd say do what works for you. If you train that way and get results then carry on! If it doesn't work, start again!!

I went against the grain with my mates sprocker who wouldn't retrieve, it would even pick a dummy or tennis ball up. All the gundog books etc advise against playing tug of war with the dog but this is the only way we could get it to retrieve. It's fine with game in it's mouth.

Your method may not be the best, it may not be everyones way of doing it but if it's how you want to train do it!