My wife and I are loving The Happy Puppy and The Labrador Handbook. Our new Fox Red, Elsa, is 9 weeks old, so we haven’t yet started training her to walk to heel. We are just making sure we fully understand your principles and are totally consistent before we get too far in – but click and treat certainly works for the loo!

Many thanks and best wishes.

Hi Pippa, thank you for the links, I’ve read them both but still have the same question. I think it is the “pairing” bit – I use the clicker when she gets into the circle to mark the event, that is all good. It is when I start quietly saying “heel” as she gets into the circle – is it instead or as well as the clicker? Thank you!

Hi Tors, the signal is a cue, not a marker – have a look at this “what are clickers for” and this Cues versus commands” You need a signal to start the behaviour, and a marker to indicate success. Glad you like the books 🙂 Lots more detail on training techniques and principles on Totally Dog Training

I’m about to start trying this – but I have a query please? When you add the signal does this temporarily become the marker or do you continue with the clicker to mark the behaviour as well? I’d be grateful if you could clarify. Many thanks. Love your articles and your happy puppy book!

So that you can repeatedly reward the puppy for seeking out the heel position. He has to choose to return to the circle to get another reward. This is building ‘the act’ of coming to heel, rather than duration of the heel position.

Hi Erica, we are all restricted somewhat by the facilities that are available to us. The problem with training basic skills in public places is dealing with distractions. Get as far as you can in the house and garden before attempting this outdoors, where you will need to use powerful rewards and go at unsocial hours to avoid/cope with distractions.
Pippa