# Beginning heeling training



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

This is called "chin heeling"... It's back-breaking with a small breed puppy, but is one of the fastest, most reliable ways to get tight, accurate heeling. What you probably can't see in the video is that I have my shoes off... That's important too... Little dogs quickly learn not to heel close if they get stepped on and hurt a few times!


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

My back hurts just looking at that!!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

whimsy said:


> My back hurts just looking at that!!!


Yup! It's not easy on the back, but it does produce beautiful, tight heeling! And as you can hear my instructor say in the little video clip, it's not forever!  We only spend VERY short periods of time doing it.


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## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

krandall said:


> Yup! It's not easy on the back, but it does produce beautiful, tight heeling! And as you can hear my instructor say in the little video clip, it's not forever!  We only spend VERY short periods of time doing it.


OUCH! Short has it's advantages, Karen! LOL


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

I can't see what yu are doing! :smash:

besos, Ricky Ricardo


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> I can't see what yu are doing! :smash:
> 
> besos, Ricky Ricardo


You put your left finger tips against your pant leg at chin height for the dog. Then you feed them tiny bits of food with your right hand as you takes very tiny steps forward (for a Havanese puppy&#8230; for a bigger puppy, you could take bigger steps!) all the while keeping the puppy's chin in your "pocket hand"

As they get better at staying in that position, you take your hands away and stand up for a step or two, then return to chin heeling&#8230; slowly increasing the number of steps they can take independently and stay in position.

This might be easier to see&#8230; it's a friend of mine chin heeling with her Malamute&#8230; not nearly so back-breaking!  An additional benefit with Winnie (the Mal) is that she is a bit dog reactive, and chin heeling allows Lisa to guide her through crowded areas with other dogs without getting into trouble. Because the position is SO ingrained in her, she trustingly will keep her muzzle in Lisa's hand, which also keeps her from locking onto eye contact with another dog.


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Wow, cool technique Karen. Thanks for sharing!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Naturelover said:


> Wow, cool technique Karen. Thanks for sharing!


I love my obedience instructors! They come up with SO many great ways to teach different things to dogs&#8230; and also to hold criteria. We were also working on fold back downs in Kodi's class. (Utility level, but this could be used at ANY age) To hold ourselves accountable for ANY forward movement of the dog, she had us draw two chalk marks on the floor, and stand the dog behind the one further from us. (when we were facing the dogs) The lines were supposed to be approximately the length of the dog's forearm. Then we were to keep them from moving their feet forward more than the front line, which is how much is needed to extend the feet without moving. This is the MOST that is allowed without losing points in the signal exercises. (a true fold-back down, with NO movement of the front feet is even better, but this elbows o the line one is acceptable too)

It's amazing how much the visual marker of the chalk on the floor helped to keep criteria from getting wishy-washy. And, as you know, when the criteria is clearer, dogs learn faster!


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> This might be easier to see&#8230; it's a friend of mine chin heeling with her Malamute&#8230;


AHA! got it.

So Popi and I try this........until Popi collapsed on the floor with a backache after one minute! :biggrin1: I am having a little trouble with this exercise right now, but we will continue to practice when Popi recovers. Popi is saying maybe he can dream up some sort of extension to hold the chin.

gracias, Ricky Ricardo


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> AHA! got it.
> 
> So Popi and I try this........until Popi collapsed on the floor with a backache after one minute! :biggrin1: I am having a little trouble with this exercise right now, but we will continue to practice when Popi recovers. Popi is saying maybe he can dream up some sort of extension to hold the chin.
> 
> gracias, Ricky Ricardo


Ha! Pixel and I are still having trouble too! Kodi and I didn't learn this way&#8230; I think it came along after Kodi was a puppy. Pixel is so little that if I don't have my hand in EXACTLY the right position, she just lifts her front legs off the floor and pops right out through my "pocket hand"! 

Add to that, we are trying to learn conformation gaiting (which I've never done before!) as well as heeling at the same time. We're going to start taking lessons on the conformation stuff too. _I_ really need it!!! 

I'm hoping to show her in the 4-6 month puppy class at the national specialty. That doesn't count for any points at that age, but it will something fun to do with her, since she has to come along with Big Brother Kodi anyway!


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## bubarkanpssi (Apr 18, 2015)

krandall said:


>


Good video, Thanks krandall


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