Two email exchanges on problems with teaching GSPs and other Gundogs heelwork

The following discussions were email conversations that I have basically cut and pasted – covering problems that people encounter with heelwork, where their dog insists on pulling. A little side discussion on socialising puppies is included.

Sarah said…I own a 5 month old GSP and have been training her using the usual obedience commands, which have gone really well. The only issue we have is with heelwork. She understands the command heel means to come back to my left side, and we have been rewarding this with a food reward, however as soon as she has had her reward she will dart off forwards again pulling on the lead. We can get her back to our side again but it seems to have become a backward and forward game if darting forwards then coming back with the heel command.

This issue arose despite us rewarding her when she was walking nicely to heel without the command being issued. Have you any suggestions for us?
So I said… To an extent I think that is one of the things with GSPs – they want to be in front! My old dog Shale has always had a tendency to creep forward whilst at heel, and the most effective thing is to stop and not go forward until he returns to heel. This gets really frustrating for you though! As an aside, they are also used in that position for woodland deer stalking, walking a half pace in front of the stalker so they can scent deer and the handler can see them indicate.

Okay, I have just looked up what Joe Irving says – he is one of the better guys to read for spaniels and I picked up his ‘professional dog training’ a couple of years ago, and it is about time I opened it. His view is that it is likely to develop into a war of attrition and the earlier you start the better. This fits in with our experience where the dog was allowed to run free with siblings as a pup and was always edging forward and Breeze who was put on a lead as soon as we picked her up. Joe does not recommend a collar when doing heelwork, but using a slip lead and zero tolerance; and impose your will, don’t work up to it.

Speaking to Terri (my better half) who is a natural dog trainer “you just have to expect them to do what you want and they do” – she suggests cutting down on the treats. Once she said it I could see it makes sense, you are rewarding the pup when she comes to you, and until she leaves you she can’t come back for more. She suggests turning as you walk, (i.e. about turns and right angles) to keep the dog guessing and I do remember turning into the dog until he was cautious about going forward. Never in an aggressive sense, just keep them guessing.

Graham Gibson has just produced a DVD and he advocates the use of a check chain – these are designed to rattle and give an audible command; often misnamed a choke chain, they work like a slip lead. Graham is a great chap, and I am keen to see his next gundog training DVD, but his training on this first DVD is aimed at pet dogs so I was disappointed with the breadth of content. He does cover heelwork on the DVD though at some length, with determined pullers, including a Weimaraner. If you search for Lamington Kennels he was advertising them on there.

Since you have the problem, and it is slightly embedded, I would suggest ringing the changes. Train somewhere different (away from distractions), don’t treat the dog, insist on her walking where you want with a sharp pull on the lead (never give them a gentle pull), and make a fuss of her as she walks to heel. Terri suggests doing it along the hallway or around the garden with (controlled) enthusiasm in your voice to keep the dog’s attention. Keep the heel walks short for a couple of weeks, do them frequently. It does all come down to the same old rules; reinforce the good behaviour and don’t reinforce the bad.

We have always attended obedience classes with the pups and got the good citizen’s awards as well. This helps with heelwork and socialisation as well.

Sorry if this seems a bit waffly, but to be honest it is probably the third hardest fault to fix (whining and hard mouth are worse).

Thanks for the feedback; it is good to know the work is appreciated.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Then She Said…Thank you so much for your detailed response, I really appreciate all of your comments.

She is walking well to heel in the garden and the house, so it’s the next phase on that I’m struggling with, which I suppose has a lot of distractions for it’s a busy main road. I had pretty good success walking her through the pedestrianised high street during her socialisation a couple of months ago, so might actually try that again a little bit later on, as she seemed to stick to my side more so then.

We have worked hard with socialisation but I have noticed more recently that she is occasionally barking at some strangers (and also in excitement when visitors arrive) so perhaps is a little on edge sometimes during our walks. She is a real people loving dog though so it’s a little strange that any nervousness should suddenly start happening. It seems to coincide with a lot of barking with the doorbell ringing and seeing people outside the window also. More socialisation might help this I suppose.

That’s a great idea to incorporate turns into the walk to keep them guessing! Since reading your email yesterday I have been trying that in the garden and it works a treat so far. So will try and incorporate this into walks elsewhere too.

We are currently about to complete the Good Citizen Award Puppy Class, and at this stage they seem happy with our pup being able to just do a few steps to heel with a treat in front of their nose to lure them. She can do this perfectly in the hall, but obviously it’s a whole different ball game outside in the real world. So I shall try the suggestions you offer and see how we get on

Thanks for your recommendations of specific authors, I shall try and hunt out that DVD.

Yes its a fantastic manual you have produced, even for someone who isn’t intending to work their dog, it really helps to understand what our dogs are capable of and provides me with some ideas of tasks we could do together to help with mental stimulation. Thankfully we have been practicing the waiting before ‘retrieving’ a toy so she is good with that, and the waiting to go through doors. I found that since doing such activities it has helped her obedience in other areas too, I suppose it helps reinforce the bond and trust as ‘top dog’ in command.
So I said…Thanks for the feedback!

The one thing I forgot to say as a final thought, was you could just chill and let her creep ahead as long as she doesn’t pull – but since you are doing good citizen’s it isn’t such an option!

The real trick with a lot of problems is to manufacture situations – e.g. for the nervous reaction with visitors get someone to ring the doorbell; spend time calming the dog down; open the door and let the visitor praise her up / give a small treat once she is calm. The idea being, the sooner the dog does what is wanted the sooner she gets what she wants – and she looks forward to meeting people.

If you have no objections I will include snippets from your question in the next newsletter – I had another query tonight.
Then she said… We took her out for a walk through the town centre yesterday afternoon and she was great, initially pulled like a train but after a series of sharps turns to go the opposite direction from which she pulled, she got the message and was so much better. Also, she was less vocal with strangers too, allowing them to pass and being able to remain focused on me. We don’t pass that many people whilst on our usual walks so I think that a bit of re-socialisation with strangers was the key.

Yes I try to go with the idea of the sooner she is calm the sooner she gets her reward, although it usually harder to train the visitors that rule more than the dog lol!

Again, thanks ever so much, in talking through the heel work issue with you, we have managed to find a direction to work towards and also helped with another area of difficulty too! Fantastic! Thank you!

Then Mark said… I have a six month old gsp dog and although following all the books on training to walk to heel, I am getting nowhere fast.
He is pulling very hard and although I am stopping, turning him, saying HEEL in stern voice, with treats, and spending hours a week doing this, we don’t seem to be progressing at all.
I realize he is young, but do you have any tips.
and I said… …what I said to Sarah and… So… what would I try in your case?

I wouldn’t feed him during training. Just the smallest of tidbits occasionally! You aren’t his mother, you’re his boss, and you choose to feed him, not let him think he gets it regardless! I suspect that he has always pulled but it wasn’t such a problem as a pup because you could handle it, but they get to be heavy dogs so you need to underline it is not allowed. If you ever watch Jo the kid trainer on the telly you can use the same principle as the naughty step. Take the dog somewhere new (to break the habit it pays to change the place) and as soon as he pulls stand still for thirty seconds or so. Once he has relaxed, start again and repeat as necessary. What you are looking for is making the link between “I pull, I get bored”!

It is a boring lesson for both of you, but when he really gets fit you have to have him knowing who is boss. Where do you live? If you are in the North you would be welcome to come along for an hour or two and we’ll see what we can do. We are living in Prestonpans, just east of Edinburgh and a new handler can break a bad habit much more quickly than the usual one.

Then He Said Thanks for help, will keep going.

He is pretty well behaved on a one to one or with the family as far as jumping concerned, but when the door goes and anyone visits although they ignore him, he will try to jump, I guess it’s just a case of keep going. I think I will try a check chain and see how we go with the pulling, I will try to be a bit sterner, (must be a real sight, 6 foot .5 guy with a black pointer pulling him down the lane, backwards and forwards in the rain, I keep passing the same people out on runs or walks and then an hour later they pass me again, only I’ve only moved three feet!!! GSP seemed a good idea at the time! Maybe a Chihuahua would’ve been better; at least I could’ve carried that!

Hopefully next time I email, will be with some better news on training front. I think some obedience classes are beckoning.

And I said…Ring the changes Mark, speak to the dog quietly and he will pay you more attention, and may well be calmer as well. I truly could make my dogs sit at 200-300 yards by hissing at them (the old dog is deaf now though). I wonder if the dog thinks you are barking and is getting wound up? I made a similar mistake with my first GSP, trying to get him across a river and trying to gee him up. The guy leading the class got me to talk quietly and it did make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.

You will get there!