Heeling for the ball

When the dog is heeling precisely and well for short periods of time, we begin to increase its animation and the intensity of its focus on its master by going to the ball, which the handler holds in his hand in place of the food. Instead of feeding the dog as the reward for good work, the handler gives it the ball every now and then, throwing it quickly against the ground so that it bounces a short distance ahead with the animal in hot pursuit.

The result will actually be less accurate work. The dog, aroused by the sight of the ball, will probably “mob” its handler somewhat during heeling, leaping against him and bumping in its eagerness to get the prey object.

This unruliness is fine. If the animal heels happily, with intense concentration upon its handler and approximately at heel, we can at any time easily get it down on the ground and teach it to be more precise. If, on the other hand, the dog learns to heel precisely but with that hangdog look, we will be put to endless trouble in the effort to bring it back into spirit. At this stage in training, the only real concession that the handler makes for the sake of accuracy is that he makes a point of never throwing the ball for the dog unless it is on the ground with all four feet and heeling reasonably precisely.