heeling with multiple dogs

• heeling with multiple dogs shanmcd Posted : 12/18/2006 8:43:47 PM tonight i started playing around with a casual "heel" command with Arlo (about 12 weeks) and wanted to add Walter (3 year old lab). but two dogs heeling along my left leg felt clumsy, while having a dog on either side feel more natural. i think in the long run haiving both dogs on my left will be better, and i should put in the effort to make it work. How do others walk two large-ish young dogs in a heel? if both on left, any pointers on how to make that more comfortable? do you train the dogs to always be in the same position (one next to you, the other next to him)? shannon ps at this stage in the training i start with positive reinforcement and the not-one-step-further-if-you-leave-my-side method. It is going surprisingly well. LIKE 4 REPLIES 177 VIEWS LAST POST SPIRITDOGS Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• diane303 Posted : 12/19/2006 9:32:36 AM When I am walking them and I am required to have them heel (in town or stopped at a cross walk), Grace, my pointer heels right next to me and my Setter, Trudy, heels next to Grace.  If I want to do some serious obedience work, I work with them independently because I want to make it clear that "heel" means right by my side.  0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• shanmcd Posted : 12/19/2006 1:33:54 PM it's "serious" in that i want them to listen! but not competition serious...i just like to have dogs who are well mannered and i feel confident if i take them out in public i wont be embarrassed (i envision being tangled in leashes).... I figure if i spend time with each alone (only ablut 5-10 minutes around the house), and then all together everyday (for a walk up the block) as a daily routine we should all be able to adjust to the "extra" dog. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• diane303 Posted : 12/19/2006 1:46:48 PM Just keep working at it and don't give up.  They will develop a preference as to where they want to heel in relationship to you.  If you don't plan to compete in the ring, it would be perfectly ok to try to teach them to walk on  either side of you.  Just don't do this with a choke collar.[]  Some times when we are walking in the park and there is no real reason to be close, they walk next to each other in front of me.  As long as they aren't pulling, I don't mind.  But "heel" technically, in traditional obedience,  means next to you on your left side.  You can make it mean next to you on either side if you don't plan to show.   0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login
• spiritdogs Posted : 12/19/2006 2:19:06 PM You can always teach them two words "heel" and "side", so they will be equally at home in either position.  Heel would be on the left, side would be on the right.  Dogs are capable of learning which word means what side.  In agility, we often teach dogs "right" and "left".  But, if you want them all on the left, then you can do that as well. 0 LIKE Like Share You have posted to a forum that requires a moderator to approve posts before they are publicly available. Hey, it's way more fun when you sign up or log in Connect With Connect With Sign Up Login