My Favorite Heeling Game ~ Denise Fenzi

This is the most basic heeling game that I work with my own dogs, and I work it a lot. For life.

Every move is followed by its opposite. So….hard control to the inside (left pivot) is followed by a fast spin the opposite way (effectively a right or about turn).

There is often a side step as I transition from the driving direction (clockwise) to the control direction (counter clockwise). That sidestep cues him to switch to control and get ready.

I am giving him a ton of hand help to keep his feet on the ground and his head high when he pivots to the left and then again to push and drive forward to the right. In general, dogs that leap on left turns/left pivots are doing so because fine muscle control is hard for them, so I’m pushing that issue and letting his body practice the movement before I ask him to do it for himself.