Dexter Is a Good Boy (repeat!)

HEEL

I didn't post about HEEL yesterday, because I spend too much time on the leash fighting Dex. But yesterday's post made me think about what is going wrong with HEEL... I'm losing my patience, and instead of teaching a command, I'm expecting him to know it - then punishing him for not obeying. That violates "No Bad Dog", since it skips the fact that he really doesn't understand HEEL yet, and assumes he's just being bad. He isn't. I haven't taught him well enough.



So, with the advice of the Monks of New Skete (1), I changed the way I teach him HEEL yesterday. Instead of a goal-oriented, walk-the-block path, I now think up turn points. When I get to a turn point, I either turn left, right, or back around. I warn Dex as I do this, HEEL (when I remember!). In just three walks, I've seen a big improvement in how he pays attention to me, and keeps the leash slack more (than never, as before!).

(1) I can't really recommend this book, as I object to some of its teaching. For instance, they are openly against adopting rescue or pound animals, as 'you can't be sure of their genetic background, or early traumas'. True. It's also not very charitable. WWJD? Hold out for a peekadoodle?

As usual, the fault is the owner's. Dexter is not a Bad Dog.

                               

BTW, those pictures I promised yesterday are finally up.