Week 2

• Let’s Go or Loose Leash Walking (LLW): This means that you expect the dog to stay within the boundaries of the leash and not put tension on it.
• Free walking: This should be paired with a change in equipment. If you have tools to stop tugging on the leash, such as a front clip harness or a gentle leader, this is the time to put them on. This should be done in an environment that you know is beyond your dog’s skill level.
• Heel: This means that you expect the dog’s head to be even with your leg and no more than a couple of inches away.

Heel is great for crossing the street or walking down a busy aisle in a pet store. This will also help you in the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class for various items on the ten part test.

• Like LLW, start by training your dog where the set up position is and focus on what we want him or her to do when we come to a stop. First, lure (or use your hand target) to get your dog into the set up position, which is perfectly in line with your leg with his or her feet pointing forward and shoulder as close to your leg as possible. The first step is asking your dog to sit in this position.
• Take one step forward. Stop and ask your dog to sit in that perfect position again. Only reward what you want.
• In order to prevent your dog from creeping too far forward and out of position, place the leash behind your back. Try to rely on keeping your dog’s focus right at your side to prevent tension on the leash.
• To teach your dog that when you stop you want him or her to immediately halt and Sit, you can additionally make a scuffing noise with your foot to use as a cue (Sit).
• You will introduce the verbal cue as you take a step forward. Say “Heel,” and take a step forward. Come to a halt while asking for a Sit. Eventually that Sit will become automatic when you come to a stop.

NOTE: In competition, we generally ask dogs to heel on the left side. However, this is family friendly heel, so work with whatever side your dog is used to. If you have any interest in competitive dog sports and you taught your dog to loose leash walk on the right side, please notify your Instructor.

• Start with your dog on leash
• Start with the plate of food on an elevated surface like your dining room table.
• Once you are successful, try it on a chair from the dining room table or a coffee table.
• Once you are successful, try it on a stool.
• Once you are successful, try it on the floor. Make sure you are far enough away when you start that you are setting your dog up for success.
• As you begin to trust your dog, you may drop the leash. However, when you first drop the leash, it is recommended that you start with the plate of food on an elevated surface again.

REMINDER: G.O.D.O.G.S. Four Rules to Emergency Recall

• Always use high value treats that your dog only gets when you use that word (to build a conditioned emotional response)
• Always send your dog back to what he or she was doing unless it is an actual emergency; this means 99% of the time you’re sending them back
• Always reward for “Name of Cue;” ONLY cue it when you are prepared to follow through with a high value reward
• Give your dog several tiny treats when he comes to you and throw a verbal praise party

• Reach for the collar, Mark with “Yes” and then reward. We start with reaching for the collar because we want to make sure the dog is comfortable with hands reaching toward them. A sign that the pup is shy is backing away, ears pinning back, and tail tucking. If the dog is shy, try reaching from the side and not straight on. Also, shy dogs tend to be more comfortable if you reach from below the chin. Once your pup is comfortable with you reaching from in front and over the head, you can move to the second step.
• Touch the collar, Mark with “Yes” and then reward. If you can slip your fingers underneath of the collar, this is even better. Make sure you touch the collar and then treat. If you do both actions simultaneously, your dog may not realize that you touching the collar is what earns the reinforcement. Change it up so that you are practicing with different hands and in different locations. Once your dog is comfortable with you grabbing the collar, you can move to the next step.
• Grab the collar, lead the dog a step or two by gently pulling them, Mark with “Yes” and then reward. If your dog is too nervous being led by the collar with your hand, you can use food to lure him or her by placing the treat at his or her nose as a preliminary step. Once comfortable with this, you should begin practicing without the food. You may also use the Touch/Hand Target cue if he or she knows this already to help encourage your dog to move forward with you. If your dog is putting on the breaks and showing any unwillingness to move in the direction you are guiding your pup, continue to work on this step until you are no longer seeing hesitation.
• In this step, you will start to randomize the Collar Grab by reaching, holding, and gently guiding your dog in a direction. It really does help to use the “Gotcha” verbal cue and to make this step fun and exciting for your dog so that he or she finds being grabbed to be reinforcing. Talk to your dog and use praise as you guide him or her in a random direction. Think of your arm as a leash, and we are teaching your dog to give into leash pressure when you are guiding your pup with “Gotcha.” If your dog is pulling away from you, then go back a step until he or she is giving into the pressure of the Collar Grab.
• If your dog is having exactly 0 negative reactions to you reaching for him or her, you may begin to add in a gentle restraint/Collar Grab for behaviors that you may find undesirable, such as jumping up on you or barking for attention. However, you will not be using the Collar Grab to interrupt an undesirable behavior if your dog is shrinking away from you or doesn’t immediately stop doing the undesirable behavior upon using the Collar Grab. You may need to go back a couple of steps to ensure your dog not only finds the Collar Grab positive, but also is starting to look to you for guidance when it happens.
• You will now begin to 1.) Gotcha/Collar Grabs, 2.) guide your dog in one direction, 3.) and then ask for another obedience cue, such as Sit, Down, Wait, Touch, On/Off, going into exercise pens or crates, Drop It/Get It, Leave It, Time Out, etc. You do not have to guide your dog in a direction every time you Collar Grab, and can start to switch between doing just a simple Collar Grab at times, and a Collar Grab with pressure and movement at other times. Practice each of these skills one at a time and over many sessions. Again, the goal is to create a positive association with the Collar Grab. If your dog is hesitating or showing any signs of discomfort, please go back a step and make sure your dog is finding this game reinforcing. For skills such as Sit, Down, Leave It, Drop It, Touch, and Wait, you may maintain contact with the collar as your dog performs the skill. For skills that require your dog to go do something with more distance, such as going into Time Out, the crate, going over a jump or onto a platform, or going through a tunnel, you may let go of your dog as soon as he or she commits to the behavior you have asked him or her to do.

Over time, make sure you practice in different locations, with different hands, and can apply pressure in multiple directions (not just forward).