# Heeling vid of Mogwai



## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

We obviously need improvements, but I have JUST started walking with her, so it's not TOO terrible.

I'm trying to figure out how to better balance myself and quiet my body a little more in motion (never ending struggle). She has a tendency to forge, but I'll take it over lagging.


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## dobedvm (Nov 1, 2010)

cute video - i think i gave most of my suggestions on the clickcompob list. have you had any luck with her targeting heel position?


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

No, but I don't use a clicker (physical reasons), so that could be lending to part of the trouble.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Just watched the vid for the first time and I have two suggestions. One is to try to not swing your arms so much. She is trying to avoid your hands and that has pushed her out away from you.. IOW's steady your gait and concentrate on standing up straight and quieting your arms. 

Second, walk faster. 

She is doing very well.. and what I am seeing a lot of is handler error and NOT dog error. 

BTW this is a critique that is NOT recognizing these problems as possibly due to your Tourettes. They are problems that have to do with getting a nicer look heeling.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I am working on clarifying my body language for her and smoothing things out a bit. I know that my body is making things difficult. I'm trying various positioning of my arms so I don't flail so much. My arms swing that hard because I'm trying not to fall over, so quieting myself is a priority, but I need to do it without accidentally falling onto/into her.

Walking faster is unfortuntately not an option. That's the fastest I can muster in terms of walking and not falling. I cannot always adjust to the dog...she will have to learn to adjust to me. It's harder, but we'll manage.

I do know what you're saying, so I'm going to keep futzing with my arms to see what I can do for her.

Wish I could walk faster for her, but I just can't  Even when I show her, my running isn't very...runningish. My feet (toes) drag, and I've started using longer lines for her so she can move out better while I stay behind because my legs don't complete the motion of running correctly.

I need to get video of her heeling with Jon, too. It's like a million times better (no hard arm swinging, doesn't lean into her, can maintain a faster walking pace, etc).


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

Elana55 said:


> Just watched the vid for the first time and I have two suggestions. One is to try to not swing your arms so much. She is trying to avoid your hands and that has pushed her out away from you.. IOW's steady your gait and concentrate on standing up straight and quieting your arms.
> 
> Second, walk faster.
> 
> ...


If the goal is SchH type obedience, the swinging arms seems to be part of the desired picture. AKC style, not so much. Xeph, can you get the frisbee out of the picture? Maybe tuck it in the back of your pants or something? Except for the about turn, every time she loses focus, it looks to me like she is distracted by the frisbee. Also, it's a lure I'd want to be fading.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I really hate things in the back of my pants (tic inducers) which is why it's out. I can see what you mean a little. Overall her focus is more on me than with the frisbee. I probably hang on to it for my comfort more than hers (I always feel like if she does something amazing and I don't have it, I'll have missed the chance to mark and reward).

I'll find somewhere else to put the toy though.

The observations do help. I have a very hard time watching myself because of the tics and my leanings, etc etc.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Can you put your hand on your stomach like they do for AKC (I know they do not for Schutzhund)? Can you practice walking without the dog and into a mirror? At dog club we do this a lot (do patterns w/o the dog and in a mirror). Just practicing for a still upper body and no dog may help you with your own muscle memory to improve. When she goes wide she is looking at you as if to say, "Uh Oh.. she's coming over!" 

Just so you know.. I have a bum right knee. No medial cartilage. Bone on bone.. and it affects my gait so my dog goes a bit wide thinking, "Here she comes.. I better watch out.. she's gonna fall on me!" I am NOT going to fall.. but it does make a mess of her heeling cuz my gait rolls with a limp. I just got a Medial Off loading brace and it is helping me to have a steadier gait. It also helps my knee to not hurt so much. 

For the frisbee you might want to get a clip and clip it to the back of your pants so it is not uncomfortably stuffed back there and you can just grab it and throw it when you need to reward herand hopefully no senstations to set off tics.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> Can you put your hand on your stomach like they do for AKC


I think I'm going to go back to trying that. Aside from balance, one of the reasons I put my arms down is in fact because we wanted to do the BH with her, and I didn't want to throw her off with a new "cue".

We don't have a mirror available to work with (I really HATE not having a kennel club), but I'll see what I can do with hubby's help. I know for a fact that my body is naturally quieter without the dog. I always feel very crowded and like the dog is in my space, and that does result in a louder upper body.

Closeness is preferred in AKC and SchH heeling, but I want the dog out of my space, if that makes any sense.

The clip to the back of the pants is a good idea, and I've got one in the bedroom I can use


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## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

Xeph said:


> I'll find somewhere else to put the toy though.


You know what you could do? Stick some velcro on the top of the frisbee and make an over the shoulder belt of velcro so you can stick it on your back and she can't see it but you can still grab it quick.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

You know Raegan, before that wouldn't have worked, but thanks to physical therapy, it will now!!!

I am seriously <3ing physical therapy!


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Did you take this video before or after she killed all the flaming sheep?



RaeganW said:


> You know what you could do? Stick some velcro on the top of the frisbee and make an over the shoulder belt of velcro so you can stick it on your back and she can't see it but you can still grab it quick.


I think I would prefer to see you wear it as a hat


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

> Did you take this video before or after she killed all the flaming sheep?


After. She says BBQ Lamb is delicious.


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