Finnie and his heeling

Piper's mom

Piper's mom

Moderator
So for months now my trainer and I have been trying to find ways to slow Finnie down and to get him to understand heel. We'd tried so many things but it has always been a race with him. Today the light bulb went on for her...it suddenly occurred to her that I walk with a fast pace. She didn't notice it until she'd attached a leash to Finnie and was walking behind us and couldn't keep up with me!
We then tried heeling very slowly with him and he stuck to me like glue (off leash) then picked it up just a bit and it was like night and day...not perfect but almost. Now consistency from me and he'll be perfect.
Amazing, it was all my fault...I was going too fast which made him turn it up a few notches with his speed. I tried it with Piper and it also helped with his barking (in Rally), the speed causes too much of the prey drive to come out and then the barking and nudging my leg with his mouth. Never stop trying lol.
 
ghggp said:
Amazing when the light bulb goes off for owner and dog alike! So nice you got to the bottom of his heeling issues!

Knowing you, Finnie will be a star in the obedience ring!
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I have no doubt about that Gloria! Just today my trainer (who consistently gets scorers between 197-200) said Finnie will be a high scoring dog because he has good fronts and finishes (this is where you lose all your points). So coming from her means a lot. Oh and he LOVES his dumbbell! I'd seen my trainer with her 6 month old puppy running with the bell in its mouth and I thought...I've never tried that! Guess I assumed he didn't like to walk with it, why would he want to run with it? Boy was I wrong....I told him to take it and off we went doing short runs and he loved it. Suddenly it was FUN! Now he will do a retrieve and return to me with it, I've even had him do a retrieve over high...bit of confusion there but he did it. I knew he had it in him, I've seen him carry a stick for blocks lol.
 
Piper's mom said:
I have no doubt about that Gloria! Just today my trainer (who consistently gets scorers between 197-200) said Finnie will be a high scoring dog because he has good fronts and finishes (this is where you lose all your points). So coming from her means a lot. Oh and he LOVES his dumbbell! I'd seen my trainer with her 6 month old puppy running with the bell in its mouth and I thought...I've never tried that! Guess I assumed he didn't like to walk with it, why would he want to run with it? Boy was I wrong....I told him to take it and off we went doing short runs and he loved it. Suddenly it was FUN! Now he will do a retrieve and return to me with it, I've even had him do a retrieve over high...bit of confusion there but he did it. I knew he had it in him, I've seen him carry a stick for blocks lol.
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Wow, that Finnie never ceases to amaze! Have you noticed any changes since he has been fixed?
 
Calliesmom said:
very cool.....
who knew you could walk too fast......................
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Oddly enough it didn't seem fast to me but with Finnie it became a race, it put him into hyperdrive. If I went slow (like a slow in Rally pace) he stayed with me 100% so made my trainer realize he KNEW heel position. But my 'normal' was too fast for him, that's where my problem lies. Here I thought I was going too slow for him all along (that and I was too stiff, I need to relax...drop my shoulders and he relaxes too). My slow for Finnie is a bit too slow for Piper in obedience though, I can see how I could lose his interest on a heel.
 
ghggp said:
Wow, that Finnie never ceases to amaze! Have you noticed any changes since he has been fixed
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Well the marking is the biggest noticeable difference, he doesn't mark AT ALL anymore and he was worse than Piper at this age. I'm noticing more focus from him so I'd say he's relaxed a little oh and he gained 1/2 a pound lol...he was always so high strung he never gained weight. From this spring on he was always 25 pounds, get him neutered and already 3 weeks later he's up in weight. Also, he's not barking as much when we do his obedience, he would bark all the time...doing finishes, jumps, go outs were the worst...always lots of barking but none at all now (good thing...always loose points for excessive barking).
I think a lot of the changes are very subtle, as he relaxes from the lack of testosterone it will show in how he responds in his obedience and he's incredible smart and picks things up very fast. As much as Piper loves obedience I dare say Finnie loves it more!
 
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