canine freestyle moves database
heel work…halt
Halt (stationary, sit or stand or drop) parallel to the handler.
The halt is where the handler and dog cease forwards movement as one unit and the dog remains squarely in the heel position. The dog can be sitting, standing or dropped.
For canine freestyle, it is easier and faster for the dog to move from a standing position.
For obedience,
…the dog needs to be able to “sit” automatically. Initially teach a straight sit separately so that the dog learns to sit straight in the heel position.
…Once you start moving forwards and you want to stop, get the the dog’s attention and prepare him to stop by slowing down for a pace or two before you actually do stop and cue “sit”, “stand” or “drop” a half a pace before you stop. (If you have trouble coordinating this, practise with an imaginary dog so that you get your timing right.) Initially be moving in a straight line so that the dog can sit, stand or drop straight when you do stop. If the dog sits crooked, square the dog to sit correctly. Only reward a straight sit using the right hand close to your body. Make sure the dog does not have to reach for the treat thus breaking the sit at heel. Don’t allow sloppy sits to develop and become a habit. If crooked sits develop, go back to basics immediately.
Sit, stand and drop in heel position should be taught separately. Initially in the stationary position, then on the move, starting with one step.
When teaching the halt it is important to have the dog’s attention.
When teaching the Start by moving one small step forwards the next thing is to Halt. Throughout the Start, the forwards movement and the Halt the dog should maintain heel position and be focused.
As you progress with teaching moving forwards with the dog, when you stop you Halt and the dog should maintain the heel position and focus. Gradually this forwards movement will cover increasing number of steps during which the dog needs to maintain position and remain focused.
If at any time you do not have the dog’s attention when you want to stop, keep going until you do have the dog’s attention and prepare him to stop by slowing down for a pace or two before you actually do stop. If the dog is losing focus as you move forwards and before you stop, the distance and duration is too much for the dog. Reduce your criteria so that you can increase the rate of rewards. Don’t work the dog to the point he loses focus. Keep the reward rate high. This is “money in the bank”.
If you do not have the dog’s attention when you stop and the dog overshoots the mark do not cue “heel” to bring the dog back, just ignore what happened and start again. Reduce the criteria and set the dog up for success.
The dog needs to be able to halt in position after each of normal, slow and fast pace. If the dog has been taught these things gradually, always with attention, there should be no problems with the halt, ie the dog stopping and maintaining the heel position.
Over time, increase the length of time the dog remains halted in the heel position.
After halting the dog should remain in the heel position until he is given another cue. Remaining in heel position is gradually built up over time. Initially aim for one second, reward and release the dog or give a cue to do something else. Then aim for 2 seconds, 3 seconds, etc until you can build up to 30 seconds. Allow many weeks for this. As the dog maintains the heel position you can gradually increase duration by feeding varying number of treats, one after the other. This keeps the dog waiting for more and you don’t become predictable.
You know your dog. Always set him up for success and never extend the time he remains in heel position to the point that he loses focus or worse still, breaks. If the dog breaks it is your fault for over extending the dog too soon and the dog will not have successfully completed his training session. While the dog is in the heel position and you are working on building duration you can treat heavily, with the right hand close to your body, thus making it worth the dog’s while to stay there. Make sure he does not have to reach for the treats and thus move out of heel position. Over time treat less and less, sometimes more, sometimes less until eventually the dog knows this exercise and knows he will get a treat at some time. Remaining in heel position also teaches the dog self control.
The Halt, is not the end of heel work. Heel work ends when the dog is given another cue or is released. Your training session should end with something like “All done” so that the dog knows it has ended.