I think this is very true.

It's not to say that such dogs CAN'T learn a closer heel command - but it will come easier to some dogs than others.

As someone said, worky dogs like Collies/Pingers etc tend to want to "get on with it"

In general, a dog is a dog BUT some have particular "default" settings. It was easier, for example, to teach my dog an instant "down" than an instant sit. Being mostly BC, "down" just comes more naturally. Whereas gundogs often tend to find "sit" easier.

Yes it's possible to teach pretty much any dog pretty much anyTHING - but a bit of thought as to what they are bred for can often give a fairly good idea as to what they'll find easiest

I have had ray for over a year and like you, I am not the only one that walks him, however, with me I expect him not to pull... He already did my tendons in when we first got him!

You also need to look at the reasons why he pulls, ray used to pull like mad when his way back and whenever he is hungry so it occurred to me to feed him a bit later on then usual and that kind of put a stop to the reason he was pulling so madly... Yet he does not walk to heel, ray had medical reasons for which he should not pull (elbow dysplasia), so it's a must.

A Mekuti Harness is what I am using now and results happened within the first 10 minutes of the first couple of walks. It works on him being thrown off balance a bit so he can't rely on the pulling for that.

When I don't use the mekuti he pulls again so it will take him a long time to get him used to this way of walking. If he walks right in front of me I actually drop the leash and he stops looks at me puzzled and eventually walks back to re-allign with me (only do it if you can trust you dog not to keep going!!!! ), also if I walk extremely slow he tends to heel better... then you can pick pace gradually, but if he pulls slow right down again.

I also use Hutch method, but I use it as stage 2 after the dropping the leash and walk slow because he is in a more responding frame of mind

If you want a dog to use its initiative when following commands and working things out then a weell known sheepdog trainer (among a few others) use voive tone to give a dog a choice.

When the dog is in the position you want it to be or doing the task i.e. flank that you wnat then you repeat the command in your "Good dog!" tone of voice. If the dog makes a wrong move from there then you use a harsher more abrupt tone to get it back to the position. The dog then has to decide if it wants the nice tone or the harsh tone and it will choose the former everytime.

But all working dogs need time off when they can just relax and chill out as I have stated earlier or your dog is going to burn itself out and be on edge 24/7 wanting to work. You may love your job to high heaven and get up every morning excited to get struck in but if you were asked to work all of the time you'd become anxious, edgy and not able to switch off. A nightmare to live with.

When each farmer check their livestock twice a day (EU law) they are only looking for animals stuck in a bit of difficulty, fences are ok etc and they may take their dog with them. During this time the dog is not asked to work but to remian close using the farmer's choice command. The dog can sniff and be a dog just as long as it doesn't start trying to work and the farmer will never ask it to work in this situation. If the dog goes out of place he will ask it to stop and get back where it needs to be but that is it. A dog that is always in work mode and anxious is not a desirable to dog for work as it will worry the livestock rather than control them.

Very interesting Debate going on here, very much enjoyed reading.
I have 2 GSD, and a Border collie, my first GSD is super at ditance work, will work to heel like a dream off lead, picked it up so quickly, but is a willfull soul bless him, walking on a lead, he isnt bad, but not as good as off lead.
I use heel for working off lead, and close when on a regular walk, he walks pretty close now, he is 14 months old, but i have been teaching/working this from 8 weeks old in the garden until he had all his vacs, He is mega obedient when we are training, but some days even n ow he can be a challenge if he chooses not to walk close, little git.
My other GSD is just 12 months old totally different temprement, and walks close on the lead beautifully, no issues at all, but training wise he he pants, he knows all his basics, but thats as far as he goes, he is just not interested at all, he is more of a pet than a worker.
My little BC is only 20 weeks old, and we are still working on the close lead work, she is quite a nervous little girl, but also interested in the world.
I do alot of its your choice training, where the dog makes up its mind, much easier especially with the two boys as they are hooge bless them.
But already my BC as soon as i stop walking she comes back to the correct position which is great. Most of her walks we dont actually go anywhere in particular, we just walk.

sarah x

A fab example of how long it takes. Every dog is different and techniques nee dot be amended and tweaked here and there to see what works best for the dog. It could take a dog 5mins to pick up or 5yrs. Try various methods, use a bit form one method and a bit from another there isn't a set technique that will work in 5mins for every dog or someone would be very rich and dogs would be boring in my mind because we learn an awful lot about ourselves through training them.

Sketch - You'll have you hands full so thanks for popping on in the only spare 10mins a day you get by the sound of things!!

As with any training, you have to take into the account the breed and and size of dog and exactly what you want from your dog. There really are so many variables. Small dogs are so much harder than larger dogs IMO!

Firstly, you have to decide what you actually want i.e. what is acceptable to you. If you are just walking down the road and want your dog not to pull, then decide where you are happy with your dog being, ie. next to you, or slightly up in front and this is where you need to be consistent.

Some of the hardest pulling dogs I have seen are Obedience dogs, when they are not working. Pull like trains, but when they are working, they watch and don't leave their owners side (wraparound dogs I call them), not practical for everyday of course and that is where having different commands for different levels of heelwork come in as sketch says.

My dogs all have walked nicely without pulling and I have taught this through the change of direction way, running back and occassionally if necessary, a tug, but it must be extremely quick, not a long pull or dragging them around and the lead must be slack immediately beforehand. As with any training, once you have got the right place, praise praise praise (with whatever motivates your dog). You will quickly find that when you drop your hand (to create a loose lead), to do a correction the dog will automatically adjust to your side or where you want them to be. Whenever your dog is in the right place, treat and use your command - as the treat goes in.

Lots of quick work doing this is also fun for your dog, breaking off and playing. Clicking the correct place is better, but I do correct, to get the result to click.

However, in obedience, I teach my dogs to watch, sat by my side, using food/clicker/toy - depending on the dog - and keep everything controlled, moving a few steps at a time, keeping the attention, breaking off and playing intermittently.

Intersting thing is that I have just realised I use 'heel' for both, but the dogs definately know, by my body language and I suppose where we are walking, which I want. Clever dogs

Kate

P.S. I have taught loads of dogs, of all different breeds to walk nicely using this way, but there are hundreds of way to teach a dog not to pull - use what suits you and your dog.

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Just because I can't talk, doesn't mean you can't understand me

Yeh i do have my hands full, but i also get sarah time too.
so like to pop on and see whats happening.
Its suprisingly easy with 3 pups, either that or im mad haha.
I work each one differently, Dalton i am firm with, or he takes the mickey, he has taken everyday since i got him to walk calmly to heel on lead, he gets praise with ear tickles and a calm "good boy" when walking, too much praise and he gets hyper.
Kane react best to hyper,yeh good Boy, welldone".
Libby its the softly softly approach, calmly said but with kindness.
Thinking about all this, i must be off my rocker actually
PS I have put up some piccies in the gallery of my thugs haha

sarah x

When I ask my dogs to heel, they are not allowed to sniff or move away- if I allow them to do so then they stop concentrating and try and do as they want.

On shorter walks at the moment they are getting off the lead one at a time so both (or all if Fraser and Bullseye are there too) at heel until I let the first one off and whoever is still on lead has to stay at heel until the first has done their business and is swapped over. Once they both have done their business the first gets off the lead to the top of the hill and the other on the way back.
Any other instances where they are maybe not getting off lead I give them ''free lead'' where they are allowed to do what they want until I call them back to heel.

x

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