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I'm trying to teach my dog to heel and it isn't working, also focus?

My dog usually can focus for a little bit wen using treats but without treats, i can't get him to respond to my commands. I work with him daily, he is 4 months and is a pointing dog, visla/gsp. Wen i try to make him heel i close treats in my hand and walk. He runs to the treats and just grabs my hand by jumping on it. Wen i put a leash on he just chokes himself and keeps resisting by running forward.

Public Comments

1. You need to pick your training times a little more carefully. I train my puppy right before his dinner - thats when he is most alert and will do almost anything for that treat. Puppies attention span's only last for about 10 mins so try not to over do it. You can however do 2-3 x 10 minutes sessions a day. You will need to stop him from jumping and biting first, so maybe you should work a little more on them before tyring to get him to heel.
2. You need to establish yourself as leader. You dog obviously isn't respecting you as his master... take your training back a step and master a few simpler tricks like sit, stay, come here, and lie down. Do them repeatedly until your dog will do them without treat rewards. When your dog has the focus to do the simple tricks without a reward, you're ready for the heel command. Tricks are great for the beginning of training. However, it's a bribe. You should eventually faze out the treats and get your dog to do whatever you ask with no treat. If your dog won't obey a command without a food reward the dog doesn't know the command. He's only been giving into your bribe. Since the heel is such an advanced command, I would suggest mastering several other commands that are easier before moving back to that one. Stay is one of the best to teach since it demands focus and patience from your dog.
3. Training takes time and patience. You cannot phase out the treats quickly. What my trainer told me when I was teaching Mimi to heal was to not try it without a treat until she did it correctly consistantly with the treats. You cannot rush training.