MSU Extension

Session 1

Basic heeling position

Dog on left side sitting quietly (both handler and dog facing forward).

Forward

Handler should walk off with the leg closest to the dog while clearly and loudly saying the dog’s name and “heel.” Dog should heel at side with lead in handler’s left hand, unless the dog is hard to handle. If this is the case, the handler would put the lead in the right hand and have the left hand placed on the leash a few inches away from the chain.

Halt

With a straight sit at handler’s side (using the three-command style: say sit, pull up on lead [short jerk] and push down on rump of dog).

About turn

Turn on a roll back or pivot and go the opposite way. Do not cue the dog; handler should just turn. If the dog does not respond and needs a correction handler may give the choke a quick jerk to get a quicker response and say the dog’s name and heel. However the handler should not use the choke or voice command after the first week of training.

Exercise finish

Once the handlers are all finished with an exercise, be sure to call an exercise finish. This is a release when the handler will praise their dog excitably, playing with a toy or giving them a treat. (I actually prefer praise over treats). This doesn’t last long just a few seconds unless it is the end of a class or break time. If that is the case, make sure the handlers know there is no work to be done during breaks or after class unless you have a one-on-one time set up with them. They should not practice after a class until the next day.

Session 2

Basic sit-stay

This first step of the stay will be done without leaving the dog. The handler will tell the dog “stay,” move their hand in a quick motion in front of the dogs face, and move out in front of the dog leaving with the leg furthest from the dog. The handler should be standing directly in front of the dog with little space between them. The handler should hold the leash directly above the dog without any slack (don’t choke the dog or pull too tight), then after a count of 10, the handler should walk all the way around the dog while keeping the leash tight; stop in the heeling position. After a count of 10, call exercise finish.

Down

There are many different approaches to getting the dog down. This process is where you will find some dogs growling and resisting. Please be sure to work one-on-one with these members so they can learn the safe and proper way and establish dominance over the dog. A few different approaches are:

• Always start with the dog in the sitting position
• Place your hand on the dog’s front shoulders, push down while saying down and pulling leash to floor
• Pull the leash to the floor, say “down" and pull the front feet out slowly causing them to lie down
• Simply tell the dog “down,” while using a sweeping hand motion to the floor

After the dog is down, handler needs to count to ten before releasing them. If this means holding them down that is fine. Sometimes just staying on the floor with them is enough. As the weeks progress the handler will stand at their side and eventually leave to the end of the leash. Then release them with a lot of praise.

Slow

Have the handler change their pace to a much slower one with the dog remaining at their side heeling. If a correction is needed it should be a quick jerk on the collar while saying the dog’s name and “heel.”

Fast

Have the handler change their pace to a quicker pace usually a jog for a large dog or a fast walk for a small dog. If a correction is needed, it should be a quick jerk forward or back depending on if they are longing ahead or lagging behind while saying the dog’s name and “heel.”

Normal

Handler will return to their normal pace correcting with a quick jerk and telling the dog to heel if necessary.

Session 3

Right turn

Handler will simply turn right while the dog remains heeling at their side. Turns should be a sharp 90 degrees; handler can correct by giving the leash a quick jerk and telling the dog to “heel.”

Left turn

Handler will simply turn left while the dog remains heeling at their side. Turns should be a sharp 90 degrees; handler can correct by giving the leash a quick jerk and telling the dog to “heel.”

U-turn

Handler should turn into their dog 180 degrees and go the other way. The handler may have to keep a tight leash and hold the dog back the first few times.

Stand your dog

Handler should be heeling their dog when he or she calls this command; the handler will then stop, face the dog, tell it to stand, while touching it in the flank area. It may be necessary to hold the dog at first or put the leash under its groin area and hold it up. (The leash is a safe for comfortable way for dogs that are shy about their groin or bellies.) Count to 10; call exercise finish.

Down your dog

Handler should tell the dog “down” or use a hand command, and the dog should lie down without any extra help.

Session 4

Leave your dog at the sit

Handler should tell the dog to “sit.” Leave on command by telling the dog to “stay," make a hand motion in front of the dogs face and walk to the end of the leash with the leg furthest from the dog. Once at the end of the leash, turn and face the dog.

Return to your dog

Once at the end of the leash and the command is called, handler will return to their dog by walking back and all the way around returning to the heeling position. It is very important that they stay in this position until exercise finish is called.

Come fore

The handler should be in forward command when this is called. While walking forward, the handler will call the dog by saying its name and “come”, i.e. “Rover, come.” Run backwards and pull the dog directly in front of them.

The handler should run backwards approximately five steps, stop and have the dog stop in front of them. First the dog will just stop and get praised, but eventually they should stop and sit in front of the handler.

Session 5

Leave your dog at the down

Have the handlers down their dogs; then leave their dogs by saying “stay,” moving their hand in front of the dogs face and then walking away with the leg furthest from the dog to the end of the leash. They will then turn and face the dog. Try to keep the handlers from putting any tension on the leash as this may cause the dog to get up. If the dog does move, the handler should move quickly to tell the dog “no,” put them back into place and leave them again.

Call your dog

Handlers should leave their dogs on a sit stay to the end of the leash. Once at the end of the leash they should turn and face the dog, on your command, they should call the dog by saying the dog’s name and “come.” They can guide the dog with the leash so that the dog will come with straight and with speed, stopping to sit directly in front of them.

Finish your dog

After the “call your dog” exercise, the dog should be sitting directly in front of the handler. At this point, the handler will say the dog’s name and “heel.” The handlers will take a step back with their left leg, pull the dog in a circle (like stirring a large witch’s pot) and stop so that the dog can sit directly at their side while stepping back into place with the left leg. The right leg should never move.

Leave your dog at the stand

Handler should stand their dog, leave to the end of the leash; when you call a return, they should return by walking all the way around the dog and ending at the dog’s side facing the dog. (Dog should not move feet at all.)

Other sessions

Work with dogs so they will stay with distractions for a total of 1 minute at the sit and 3 minutes at the down for a first-year dog.

Refine all the above by eliminating all the training commands and using only the one command allowed for each. Refer to the basic commands for calling a class sheet for the proper commands.

This is also a good time to run the handlers and dogs through a one-on-one pattern, such as the judge would use and score them. This will allow them to know what they need to work on. Please refer to the score sheets in your handbook.