posted 01-08-2004 12:01 PM         

I know how to teach a dog to heel, and that once they know it you can tell them to heel and they will come around to your left side.

I was thinking of just having treats in my right hand and saying "on my right" and Nala can only have them if she moves around to my right side. Then perhaps have treats in both hands, but she can still only have the ones on the right side?

The reason I am asking is because my husband needs her to learn how to get off the bike path when he tells her to, so she doesn't get run over by other bikers. I suggested the "on my right" so that she would move to his right side which would be off the bike path. (I also said he could shake a box of treats on his right if he wanted to carry treats with him all the time.)

Will she pick the correct side whether she is facing him or behind him? Is the dog learning to go to a particular side of the person, and therefore orientation doesn't matter?

How did you do it, Maisey?

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.