# Thanks to everyone, and a question!



## jtoby_3 (Nov 19, 2008)

Hey guys I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your input on what dog to get. I took evrything into consideration and after hard months of deliberating and beating myself up I finally found a great pup to start a, hopfully, wonderful partnership with. I know its not the most popular today but i fell in love with the springer spaniel. We are currently training right now and she has really picked up on most of the basic commands but we are struggling on the "heel" so if anyone could give me some advice it would be much appreciated! Thanks again!


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

Short lead, Pinch Collar and snapping it keeping the dog to your side. Heel/ snap... Not heel.....snap, heel/snap at the same time.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Use a heeling stick. You don't have to whack the dog too hard with it. Just give it a light tap every time the dog moves away from heel. Tap in an area the dog immediately responds to. It can be the shoulders or hind end or very lightly on the nose...whatever your dog responds best to. 
Another method is to put a cinch around their flanks and do like TAK says, but around the flanks instead of the neck. Sometimes the dog is more responsive to a lead there.


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## bigbuckhunter64 (May 6, 2008)

I have that same problem with my springer if I dont have him out often enough. I have found that a quick jerk on the short leash with the heal comand works best for us.


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## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

I was watching a lady that seemed to be training a couple of dogs to heel that used a technique that I had not seen before. She used about a heavy 6-8 foot leash and had a loop tied about the two foot mark for her hand, every time the dog would move forward of heel, she would whip the remaining length around in a circle in front of his nose with her right hand, if he got too far forward he got whapped by the leather handle, after about the third time he quit going far enough forward to get popped and returned to heel to avoid it.

Don't know that this would work for any other direction of disobedience, but it worked for her the 5 minutes I watched her. Combined with the snap/heel method for the other directions, it might speed things up a little. IDK


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Artoxx- that lady just made her own version of a heeling stick. She was essentially doing the same thing that you'd do with one.


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## Artoxx (Nov 12, 2008)

I see...


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I can have your dog heeling in ten minutes. Bring him over and I'll show you how. FREE!


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## jtoby_3 (Nov 19, 2008)

I would take you up in a heart beat on that if i could Tex! Especially since im the only one i know that has a dog they would like to hunt, my major problem is that im living in Good Old North Dakota for a few more months! And before you all get to jealous because of the hunting we have here I have to tell you it was still -7 when i got up this moring with at leat 2 feet of snow on the ground! Thanks for all your help im trying it all and hopfully i can say we have mastered it in the next few weeks!


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