So, what exactly is Freestyle Heelwork? Well, heelwork refers to dog sports that involve a person and a dog working together and moving in unison. In some of the traditional sports (like competitive obedience and rally) the handler and dog team must execute compulsory behaviors. In freestyle heelwork we get to make up the rules ourselves. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do freestyle, which is one of the reasons I find it so much fun. We also don’t need a lot of equipment to do it, just some open space. Here are some examples of how we can use freestyle heelwork:
In this class we will focus on some of the fundamentals of freestyle. I like to break it down into two components. One component is movement, like in the video link above. The other component is position, where we focus on the precise position of our dog relative to our bodies. The three main positions are: heel (dog on our left), front (dog in front facing us), and switch (dog on our right). My favorite way to teach a dog and human about positioning is to use a platform. We start with stationary positions on platforms and then transfer those positions to movement. Here is a video that shows how we can use a platform to teach a dog to line up in a clean heel position:
Equipment: When you come to class you will need to bring a flat collar, leash (I recommend a 6-foot nylon leash), and a lot of small, cut-up treats. We will be learning how to use clickers and platforms in class, and we will provide those for you. You can borrow one of my platforms to take home during the four week class ($40 – $70 cash deposit, fully refundable). I highly recommend getting a treat pouch to hold your treats. Treat pouches make it much easier to give treats to your dog quickly and smoothly.
Treats: I like to use treats that don’t crumble, because I sometimes toss them for my dog during platform work and I want my dog to eat them in one shot without foraging on the ground for crumbs. I like to use kibble and meat rolls. I cut the meat roll into small pieces about the size of my pinky finger nail. My favorite brand of meat roll is Happy Howie’s, I buy them at Jeffrie’s Pet Store, 284 Noe Street near Market Street in San Francisco. You can also get them on Amazon (click link to see on Amazon). I like to use the turkey flavor. Natural Balance meat rolls works well too. You may want to bring a variety of treats and see which ones work best for your dog and you. Here is how I prepare my treats:
Some things to think about before our first class: When you arrive at our first class your dog may be quite excited. There will be lots of sights, smells and other dogs. I recommend bringing a mat for your dog to lay on and maybe a Kong filled with treats so your dog can focus on that instead of other distractions. Bringing one of your dog’s toys may be beneficial too. This will help you focus on the instruction part of class while your dog focuses on their Kong or toys.
Well, that’s it for now. See you in class! If you have any questions you can contact me at dogswitchdog@gmail.com
– Steve