Walking to heel

[Anita]

Hiya everyone

We could do with a bit of advice. Phoebe is very good at walking on her lead but she always creeps forward. My hubby likes her to be right by his side and not in front.

She can do this and knows that we want her there but she still goes forward. She doesn't pull and her lead does keep fairly slack, until she's right out in front

I think its just a bit of cocker brain fade as we've tried treats, praise etc. She has picked up all her other training really well and doesn't have the same lapses.

Any one got any other tricks I can try or is this just cockers and she'll never do it?

By the way - is chasing and retrieving a ball normal for cockers. We can't go on a walk anymore without her two balls

Thanks                    

[Mike]

Hey Anita

I've recently bought a Halti collar for my Springer, who does pull quite a lot when walking on the lead. Not sure how I feel about it - it does seem to ride very close to her eye... but it has had the effect of making her walk to heel (more or less)...

Is chasing and retrieving a ball normal for cockers - YES! As soon as I put the collar and lead on my two, they bring their balls to me to make sure I dont forget! They are gundogs after all, so the retrieval is instinctive I guess                      

[Pammy]

Anita - I think you've done very well to get this far without Phoebe pulling. However - as she is creeping forward you need to re-inforce just what "heel" means and that is by your leg - not in front and not too far behind. Si go back to the basics with her and only treat and praise when she is walking where you want her. If she goes in front stop and make her come back and heel by turning her around the back of you clockwise so she ends up exactly where you want her. Does that make sense

If she is walking nicely - just in the wrong position - I wouldn't look at head collars for her. You don't need one.

As for chasing balls etc - some love it others don't. Jasper things balls are great - Buddy looks with disdain as if to say - think I'm running after that - get a life :-

Good luck and keeo up that good work.                    

[Anita]

Thanks for the advice - I don't think she needs a Halti collar as she doesn't pull.

Now the better weather is here I cacn start more training in the garden so I'll go back to basis with her. (As long as she stops jumping up for the treat)                    

[Pammy]

I had this with jasper --  if the treat makes them too excited - don't use them - use verbal praise and hugs instead

Another thing that crossed my mind too - is rather than using the command "heel" try using another word, almost as though you are teaching her something totally new. If you have been using heel and let her get used to walking slightly in front - she might find it a bit confusing. Perhaps use something like "close" instead. This then means something different to the dog and helps them associate with a "new" action.                    

[Anita]

Thats a good idea pammy - she might take more notice. We have been using Here but close seems a good one Phoebe seems to like S sounds more that others.                    

[viv]

I have the same prob with William...he wants to walk in front all the time.  I had a halti and he hated it...to the point of walking on his back legs with his front paws trying to rip the thing off, so we went for a Lupi (a harness) and he seems to be doing okish with this.
I have tired everything to get Will's to walk to heel and he willl do if i only give him enough lead to be close to me...any more and he is off to the end on the lead, but at least he doesn't rip my arm out of my socket.  When i say "heel" he just turns his head and looks at me so i'm going to give pammy's advise a bash and get him to come back to me.
Viv