Heeling

[fabel]

I been watching those heeling videos. They are wonderful. But my question is - is it possible to have good heeling without using food? I prefer not to use food.

[ness]

What do you mean fabel?? My girl will heel like that without food in her face, her primary reward is tug. She will also offer that sort of heelwork for anything she thinks I might have a game with and if I don't then she will find me something to reward her with :laugh:.

Edited December 11, 2014 by ness

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

You can have good heelwork if you know what your dog likes to work for.

Most dogs will work for food if they're hungry enough but other dogs will work for praise and pats, or tug or chase the ball or chase you or just another job to do (if you have a BC).

Food is easy to use to get good heelwork because it's the easiest thing to "reward in position" ie you only hand over the reward when the dog is where you want it, and if you can deliver the reward and keep the dog in the correct position - that helps the dog understand when you're working on teaching something new.

But then you need to fade out the use of food or build duration between rewards. Something I'm not so good at. But given my dog knows the task - I just put the food (cos she likes food) in a cup over there, and when I am happy with the heel work - I release her and we go get some treats over there.

[huski]

Heelwork like the videos posted in the other thread is a product of the dogs having a lot of drive, focus and motivation.

I've trained my youngest dogs heel work purely in prey drive - no food involved, but I did and do use toys and balls as a primary reward.

If you want high end, stylised heel work you need to be able to use rewards that keep the dog highly motivated. For some dogs this is food and for some it's toys.

Reward placement and having a good communication system is a critical part of training good heel work - for example I don't reward in position when training heel work, I release the dog to reward. Where you place reward can have a huge impact on and shape position.

Edited December 11, 2014 by huski

[OSoSwift]

If food works whats the issue?????

But no you can use whatever the dogs has a high reward value for. My dogs LOVEs a ball.

[LisaCC]

I'm still training my boy but we have nice animated, enthusiastic heeling all from working with toys. Tugs and balls. No food in sight for us, but that's just what motivates my dog. We are getting the duration up now. Still with a toy reward.

[megan_]

Do you mean you don't want to use food or you don't want to use a reward? IMO, you must use a reward, and use the reward that your dog lives (if that is good, then do be it). Dogs choose what they find rewarding.