Course Details
Does your dog heel beautifully in training but struggle when the pattern gets longer or in trials?
Loss of position, fading engagement, and small mistakes under pressure are some of the most common heeling challenges.
Heeling asks dogs to juggle multiple skills at once:
- Precise position and focal point
- Sustained engagement without reinforcement
- Unpredictable sequences
- Environmental, judge, and handler pressure
When problems arise, it’s rarely that the dog “doesn’t know heeling.” More often, one piece of the picture is unclear—and our communication isn’t as clear as we think.
Petra’s precise yet positive approach helps handlers identify exactly which piece is breaking down and how to communicate that clearly to the dog. Clear information builds confidence and is highly reinforcing.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
- Identify the specific source of struggle
- Break heeling into clear, trainable components
- Improve clarity without adding pressure
- Build confidence through success-based training
Watch the Trailer:
Coming Soon!
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday March 15th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday March 22nd @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday March 25th
Instructor: Petra FordI have been training and competing for several decades in a variety of sports including Hunt Tests, Field Trials, Nosework, Agility and Rally. My first love has always been competition obedience. I have been fortunate to win the AKC National Obedience Championship four times with three different dogs. (Click here for full bio and to view Petra's upcoming courses)
