Eye Contact

[m-j]

at the moment that is keeping him in better position than trying to get him to watch my face

That's what i found with my Maltese I moved the position of my hand and he was instantly in the correct position, I love quick fixes

cheers

M-J

[Kavik]

I want to know how they get them to heel like this:

(taken from http://www.malinois.com/otvitosha/video.htm)

Edited April 22, 2005 by Kavik

[MonElite]

Making a monkey out of yourself when dog is a pupp and spitting food form your mouth.

What a fantastic shot Kavik!!!

Well this is what I know so far, I am yet to discover better methods.

Grotty - cabanossi instead of dog food in your mouth LOL

[EddyAnne]

I want to know how they get them to heel like this:

(taken from http://www.malinois.com/otvitosha/video.htm

G'day, Eddy here.

There are several ways one could use to train a dog to look up at your face whilst heeling, basically the same ways that are used when not heeling.

As you suggested cheese or cabanossi from the mouth, maybe that handler kept the cheese or cabanossi around their neck and gave a piece every now and then by hand instead of spitting it. Maybe instead of food the handler used the dog's favourite toy and that could have also been kept on a string around the handler's neck.

Who knows maybe the handler used a luring distraction that the dog loved and which was somewhere else than on the handler. Well here is the principle which I'll explain like this, imagine a glass door and on the other side is the dog's favourite toy or food on the ground, simply just don't open the door until the dog looks up at your face for a split second, then gradually extend the time of the dog looking at your face till you open the door, and then yet later take a step or two whilst the dog looks at your face and if the dog does look at your face then open the door and gradually increase the number of steps heeled.

At this address have a read of my previous posts, and rather than use food or toys I suggest using what the dog was more interested in, which was quote by the handler "much more interested in sniffing around & running off to sniff things than anything else", and gees I even used this technique for a dog that loved to mark on trees especially when the dog saw other dogs mark on HIS TREES and that marking dog got their UD title and his training included the reward of marking on trees, anyway here is that address for the sniffing dog:-

http://forums.dogzonline.com.au/index.php?showtopic=10254

Now keep in mind that there are several ways one could use to train a dog to look up at your face whilst heeling, and it's just a matter of learning how to use those other ways effectively in a training program.

Personally when heeling in Obedience I prefer to keep my hands together near my belly button rather than swinging beside me as some others do, well to each their own, and gees I feel my doggies could heel just about as good as those doggies on that website and I feel that some other doggies in Australia could also.

Edited April 22, 2005 by EddyAnne

[Kavik]

I can get that sort of eye contact when standing still, but not on the move. He will look at my face, but does not lift his head that high or at quite that angle.

I agree EddyAnne, I prefer to keep my hands together by my bellybutton while heeling too (sometimes treats come from there! Sometimes from my mouth. Neither me or Diesel is fully coordinated with dropping and catching treats from mouth yet).

[kamukeli]

I started with food mainly just kicking back at home and rewarding the dog for eye contact.Just a glance at first then holding focus for longer periods.With obedience the dog does not get a command without focus.This comes slowly.With healing you start by holding their favourite toy up by your face and reward with the toy after a few steps in focus then you build on this until the toy can be hidden and brought out for reward at vairying intervals.This is a brief explaination correction and timeing also play a part.This is my boy in focus!

[Kavik]

That's good focus moremals! We are getting there - just more practice I guess! He is a beautiful boy - you are tempting me on purpose aren't you

[kamukeli]

Maybe just a little nudge LOL

Keep working on the focus and you will get it. A word of advice be carefull if you use a toy to hold it in different positions I made the mistake of holding it in my right hand up next to the right side of my face to consistently and I always threw it away to my right .This caused the boy to crowd me and surge around in front to much.I'm correcting this for his next trial lucky for me he forgives my poor handling.I'm getting happier by the week with his position just have to keep a handle on the drive.Finding the dog is easier to train than me.Hope my mistakes can help with your work.

Good luck with it Kavic and I expect to a pic of focus healing from you soon.