How to get a better heel/fuss/Au pied - Page 2

That often comes from a crooked sit to begin with.

Go back to the beginning with the toy or tug under your arm.  As soon as you get 2 or 3 perfect steps. release and reward.

Verbal markers, good or uh-uh when he is forging.

I would really look at my starting position and go back to quick rewards when he is heeling properly.

In addition to all the good methods, and sound advice above, you might make your first step when fussing to the left for awhile. It worked for my kids.

I've tried heeling alongside a curb or fence to get my dog to sit straight. Try that for a bit. It should become automatic after enough repetitions and praise.

Sent you a PM

Yes puputz. I got that too. Crazy if he saw the ball, that is why I kept it behind my back. He will still focus on my face with or without but he is more amped if he see it. So I try to hide it until I need it for the reward. This stuff gets tricky sometimes and I wish a had a few more hands to help. LOL

Betty I started going back to baby steps and rewarding for anything done correctly. I'm hoping to see results soon. I have to go other placed to find a wall or fence to use so that method is not always feesable.

Rat King I will try that left step, haven't yet, maybe that will be my lucky charm.  I am also going to try using food today. He is not as flashy for that but maybe just entised enough to frekin' listen instead of try and trip me for the damn reward. You'd think me stepping on his toes every few seconds would move him off my leg but nope!

I'm going to go out and work him and come back and recap what I see.

4pack,

I had the same problem with my Male.  It was a very easy fix.  I actually live in the same town as you.  I see you and your dogs at the track sometimes, I did a lot of left turns, no knee bumping because that made him pull away.  When I turned i would step on his toes.  The turn was a circle, like turning on a dime.  Every time he got a little crooked I would immediately turn into him.  It fixes the sit too.  You need to have a second set of eyes so you can keep your form but still have someone tell you when he is not correct.

Shawn

I agree about the extra set of eyes. I can't always tell if he is correct or not to give the reward quickly.

Uh huh, you are spying me and mine at the track are you? LOL It's been awhile!

Well the food only holds his interest so much, he is much flatter and would fall out if I didn't keep my enthuiasm up, and that is not my strength. Using the food to keep him strait and as the final reward worked, "if" I still had the tug under my arm. He does respond well to verbal "GOOOOOD" He did however make me look like an ass for calling him out on the board. I didn't step on his toes once or trip at all on him. He did sit crooked a couple times but doing much better than he has in awhile now. I guess we aren't as far off as I thought. Sometimes it's good just to ask and it makes me focus better on what I am doing, not so much the dogs issues. I think my best bet was ditching the 6 foot lead for a thin 2 footer. I will be going back to the leash instead of no lead too, until I fix him up again.

Thanks to those who PM'd me.