Motor Skill #2 – Head Position

It is very important to teach the dog proper head position for heeling.
For this purpose, we will hold food in the right hand and guide the dog’s head with the left hand.

1. First, we get the dog to sit in Basic Position (00:30 sec).
   Please be very clear with the dog when the exercise is over. You can see the handler tap the dog on the shoulder as a sign of release (00:32 sec).
2. Repeat just sitting a few times.
3. Please note how the handler feeds the dog with the hand all the way to the dog’s left. We want as much as possible to avoid forging and crabbing (00:57 sec).
4. High probability, the dog will jump at some point trying to reach the food. Use your negative marker and softly but firmly tap the shoulder (01:48 sec).
5. Please do not follow a pattern:
   1. Change the direction.
   2. Change the speed slightly.
   3. Take a random number of steps.

As always, finish with play.