Joined
·
2,452 Posts
I've been trying to work a lot on Jak's obedience here lately, and I've run into two small problems that I can't seem to figure out a solution to on my own.
Some days he'll be nearly perfect when heeling, and some days he just seems very distracted and will not maintain eye contact. He knows he's supposed to be looking up at me now, so when he looks away I give a quick pop on the leash, but instead of looking back up at me, he just moves in closer to my leg (the direction I pop the leash makes no difference). He isn't moving his head out of position - just looking away with his eyes. I tried the ecollar instead of the prong and he did the same thing (just got closer to my leg, literally pushing against me), and laid his ears back. I've also tried bringing the food down to his nose to basically lure him to look back up at me and that doesn't work either. The only thing I haven't tried yet is using the ball or a tug.
The second problem has sort of been addressed already in other threads, but not exactly, so I'll ask here, too. When he sits in front of me, he will not sit close; he stays back about a foot. If I try to lure or pull him closer, he jumps up rather than sitting close. If I try to inch into him, he backs up, jumping up with his front feet. I've taught him to go around behind me into heel position if he's sitting in front of me when I give the heel command, so now he thinks that if I pull the leash towards me when he's sitting in front, he's supposed to go around to my right side. I could prevent that by standing against a wall or fence or something I guess.
Some days he'll be nearly perfect when heeling, and some days he just seems very distracted and will not maintain eye contact. He knows he's supposed to be looking up at me now, so when he looks away I give a quick pop on the leash, but instead of looking back up at me, he just moves in closer to my leg (the direction I pop the leash makes no difference). He isn't moving his head out of position - just looking away with his eyes. I tried the ecollar instead of the prong and he did the same thing (just got closer to my leg, literally pushing against me), and laid his ears back. I've also tried bringing the food down to his nose to basically lure him to look back up at me and that doesn't work either. The only thing I haven't tried yet is using the ball or a tug.
The second problem has sort of been addressed already in other threads, but not exactly, so I'll ask here, too. When he sits in front of me, he will not sit close; he stays back about a foot. If I try to lure or pull him closer, he jumps up rather than sitting close. If I try to inch into him, he backs up, jumping up with his front feet. I've taught him to go around behind me into heel position if he's sitting in front of me when I give the heel command, so now he thinks that if I pull the leash towards me when he's sitting in front, he's supposed to go around to my right side. I could prevent that by standing against a wall or fence or something I guess.