How To Teach Return To Your Dog
Return to your dog is the way we return to the finish or heel position.
Return to your Dog
In this exercise you are to return to the heel position by going around the right side, behind your dog.
- Begin by facing your dog.
- Place the leash in the left hand, holding it above your dog's head and in a way so that their is no tension but short to correct and any mistakes.
- Command your dog to "Stay" as you begin to move to the right side of your dog.
When your dog is first learning this lesson you should take small steps around your dog, reasuring your dog with "Good, Stay". I will usually say "Stay", take a small step, pause and say "Good, Stay" and as I am saying stay I will move a small step until I am in the heel position.
Do this until your dog understands that they must remain sitting while you move behind them. As your dog get more confident with the exercise, reduce the number of stay commands as you return to your dog.
Your goal is to be able to walk normally into the heel position.
- Start by facing your dog, practicing your stay behavior.
- To return to your dog after the stay position, move around to the right behind and around your dog so that you return to where the dog is situated on your left-hand side.
Return the leash to your left hand. Praise the dog if he
remained in his stay position.
If he releases from his position, start over by getting
him to sit in front of you. When you are done with this
lesson, tell him, "play, play!"
The praise in this position is given while holding the leash in the left hand close to the collar, but loose. The right hand pets your dogs' chest. Your dog must remain sitting throughout the praise. Praise is not a release. "Play" is the release.
Return to your Dog (for me)
To return to your dog after the stay position, pivot around to the right behind and around your dog so that you return to where the dog is situated on your left-hand side. Return the leash to your left hand. Praise the dog if he remained in his stay position. If he releases from his position, start over by getting him to sit in front of you. When you are done with this lesson, tell him, "play, play!"