I was an AKC obedience judge for over 22 years, and I’d like to share a few heeling tips from the experience I’ve gained as a judge and a top competitor.

Heeling Tip – In the obedience class I teach locally, I am constantly reminded that exhibitors (new and experienced) get obsessed with penalties during their training. Heeling is a complex skill for dogs, and because of that, many penalties can occur during a performance. Focusing on the highest priority for success, rather than picking on everything, will give you the best result.

Did you know that crooked sits during heeling are minor penalties? Most crooked sits in Novice or Beginner Novice are penalized 1/2 – 1 point. For AKC, the Novice “Heel on Leash/Figure 8” exercise has 40 points. The Novice “Heel Free” exercise has 30 points. In Beginner Novice, the “Heel on Leash” and the “Figure 8” exercises each have 40 points.

Since there is one sit in the Beginner Novice “Heel on Leash” exercise and two sits on the “Figure 8” exercise in Beginner Novice, it makes more sense to focus on heel position and not pick on the sit. The same thing is true for Novice – usually two sits on the “Heel on Leash” and two sits on the “Figure 8”. So, there are four sits in the 40-point on leash heeling and two sits on the “Heel Free” 30-point exercise. There are no penalties for crooked sits to start the heeling exercises.

Usually, the reason for the crooked sits is that the dog failed to maintain heel position. Whether you are training your dog for high scores or to complete titles, the best solution for your training should focus on your dog maintaining a better heel position. You may need to address your handling, or more specific training to help your dog learn how to maintain a more precise position.

Have you been obsessed with crooked sits during heeling? Maybe it’s time to figure out how to motivate your dog to maintain heel position rather than picking on the crooked sits.