# left of right leg in heeling



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Left OR right leg... I can't edit the title

I've taught my dog to follow the leg (left). He'll go forward, backwards, sideways and in circles if that is the way I decide to go.

I was told by one person to always lead with the left and somebody else mentioned it's best to lead with the right. 

From the base position (sitting) I have been leading with the left.

how do you do it?


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## Donna Rednour (Feb 12, 2008)

I lead with the left. I want to my dog to 'follow' the left leg. Dog's shoulder area in line with the left leg, if the dog is following the right leg they will be forging. I learned many, many tips from working with Ivan on how to maintain that. I also stop on my left leg for the halts and bring the right leg into position, great cue to the dog! Too easy for the dog to get out of position if you lead on the right - 1st step out... forging. I also make sure to line up dog toes to my toes when I halt, then I know the dog is in correct position.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I lead with my left UNLESS I do a motion exercise then I give the sitz, platz, stand command when my left foot hits the ground and leave with my right. Make sense?
When we do AKC obedience I also start the heel with my left but when I leave for a sit or down stay, or stay for a recall I leave, again with a right lead. Just another visual key to the dog.


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## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

We do the same… Heel is always with the left foot. Any time we leave the dog its always with the right foot. If you are a stickler with this long enough you won’t even need to give a verbal heel. 
We train all stoppages into a sit and all kneels into a down. Consistency is a wonderful thing!


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## Lisa Geller (Mar 29, 2007)

That's cool Matthew, and easy to train if you think about it.
I have also used the left for lead, no command but have used a seperation (or slight step left) for leaving the dog, no command.
You have in one quick instance taught me how to transfer my Ringsprt training to schutzhund which does in fact require the dog to stay once placed and they do not allow that lateral step.
I love it when I can train different sports the same 
It's true, consistency is a wonderful thing.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

two national level schH guys told me it's best to lead with the right. The should be taught to follow the left leg and in a trial situation it gives the dog a better opportunity to not get out of position.

I was taught to always lead with the left from another national level schH guy. I don't see a reason to change how I do things but if I do, now is the time. I have a young dog and we're getting ready for his BH

Thanks for the responses.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Depends on the dog and the situation. With a dog who isn't "ready to go" I will lead with my left because it's right next to them and they seem to make the transition to motion again easier. But it also depends on why they aren't ready to go, ie are they just a hohum kind of heeler, or not paying attention, sometimes leading with the right gives them a second to register that we are starting up again, without having my left leg move, so they get back on track without being left behind. With a dog who is doing it correctly I tend to lead with my left, but might also use my right, if they are paying attention it shouldn't matter. If they have a tendency to forge, or are in "where's the decoy mode" I will lead with my right because it seems to be a smoother transition, not so "sudden", so it gets the dog back on track without the dog lunging forward then having to get back into heel. 

A lot of it is actually just done based on "feel" but someone asked me the other day which I lead with and why, so I started actually thinking about it and trying to pay attention LOL


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