A Week 2 Class from MD.

I cannot emphasize the importance of each of you truly memorizing these mechanics.  Each mechanic is taught so you CAN achieve success with your dog as each mechanic gives the dog clear information and communication so it can succeed. By default, when your mechanics are poor, your dog has none of the help it needs to succeed.

So, whatever it takes for you to learn these mechanics WELL and to be proficient in them WITH your dog, figure it out and do it.

Here are the photos from Saturday which I did NOT post publicly, but for your learning and understanding, I will post them here for you.  BTW....are all of my mechanics perfect each and every time? No, but I know muscle memory wise how the mechanic should feel and can quickly adjust as needed. None of you have the stored muscle memory to pull from - yet - so you are struggling. Everyone struggles to learn these mechanics, EVERYONE, myself included. You are no exception.

What does it take for you to practice a new skill until it is automatic? I don't know about you, but for me, I had to practice every mechanic with Fido until it was automatic when I was at Applewoods Dog Training as a brand new student.  Used to embarrass my husband Wayne as he'd follow me up the stairwell in church and I'd be doing my turns in pretty shoes.

He'd say, "Do you HAVE to do that now, here?"

I'd reply, "Yes, as its the only way I will learn."

So I practiced all the time, here, there and everywhere. ALL THE TIME.  Physically, I am a bit of a glutz, I can't dance, have no natural rhythm or beat, and character wise struggle with consistency, patience, logical sequencing and good timing.  It took this dog training to teach me to walk a straight line, carry my body erect, square my shoulders, keep my eyes ahead, and understand/implement Sequencing, Timing, Mechanics & Repetitions.

I AM NOT A NATURAL AT ANY OF THIS TRAINING, NOT AT ALL.  But I am bulldog headed persistent when I want something bad enough and I wanted to learn this training so I could have a great relationship with my dog. Once I learned it, I wanted to share this with other dog owners so they too could have a great relationship with their dog.  If I can learn to do this, so can you.  Just takes a commitment to learn it. Once learned, you will always have this Koehler language of communication stored in your head, your hands and your muscles.

Here is what your leash position while heeling SHOULD look like:

Here are leash positions from Saturday's class.

I share these because I want you to be straight about what you see in these photos.  Without correct leash position, your dog CAN'T succeed as you are so confusing your dog with unclear, muddy and very inconsistent communication.  As nicely as I know how to say this, class, fix your leash position while heeling and 90% of the issues you see here will disappear.

You dog can't be any better than you are.
You are being unfair to your dog by not doing your homework in learning to handle your leash with clean mechanics.

FIX your leash mechanics and do what it takes to learn. It will make life a whole lot more pleasurable to you, to your dog, and then there will be this 'magic moment' when 'Snap' you FEEL it done correctly and immediately your dog will respond differently/better/pay attention to you.

You have to do your part to expect your dog to do its part.