Course Details
Do you feel like you’re constantly reminding your dog to look at you, pay attention, or stay connected while heeling? Do you find yourself begging your dog to heel with you—especially when the environment gets distracting, the heeling gets longer, or a judge is watching?
Great heeling isn’t about constantly reminding your dog to stay engaged. It’s about teaching your dog that choosing you is rewarding.
In this workshop, we’ll teach your dog to voluntarily offer engagement while heeling. Rather than asking, nagging, or reminding your dog to pay attention, we’ll create a dog who learns to take the initiative and choose connection with you—even when the environment is interesting.
You’ll learn how to:
• Teach your dog to actively choose you instead of simply ignoring distractions.
• Create voluntary engagement that your dog offers without constant prompting.
• Build sustained connection for longer periods of heeling.
• Gradually introduce distractions while maintaining your dog’s desire to work with you.
• Replace nagging, begging, frustration, and conflict with cooperation and choice.
Petra’s precise yet positive approach will give you practical ways to build this skill while protecting your dog’s attitude and enthusiasm for heeling. Whether you’re just beginning to teach your dog to heel or you’ve been competing for years, these strategies will help you create a dog who doesn’t just respond to your requests for engagement—they learn to offer it.
Watch the Trailer:
Lecture Publish Date: Sunday November 8th
Video Submissions Due Date: Sunday November 15th @ 12pm noon PT
Feedback & Questions Video Publish Date: Wednesday November 18th
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)
