When training obedience to a higher level, which leg should you ‘step out on’?
Posted on Jun 03, 2010 under obedience training | 7 CommentsI’m not sure if ‘stepping out’ is the correct term for it (please tell me if you know better) but when you are taking your obedience training to a higher level, ie, for competition, and you are going from halt/stop to heal, should you ‘step out’ on the left or right leg?
Many many thanks for any advice you have.
When you want the dog to follow you (eg starting a heel exercise), you start with the left leg (nearest the dog). If you are leaving the dog (eg, in a stay exercise), you leave with the right. The idea is that the left leg is the one the dog follows, if you leave on the right, he knows not to follow.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:05 pm
When you want the dog to follow you (eg starting a heel exercise), you start with the left leg (nearest the dog). If you are leaving the dog (eg, in a stay exercise), you leave with the right. The idea is that the left leg is the one the dog follows, if you leave on the right, he knows not to follow.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Most people prefer to step out on the foot next to the dog, your left foot when heeling. The dog can see this signal easier & quicker & step out with you without a lag. Then when leaving the dog in a stay, they step out on the foot opposite the dog, your right foot. Giving the dog the message to stay put. However there is NO right or wrong footwork. Meaning your footwork is not judged, only the final picture of you & your dog heeling together or your dog staying is judged. Hope this helps.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Yep. Traditionally most people lead with their left leg if they want the dog to heel with them and lead with the right if they are performing an exercise where the dog stays while the handler walks away. But as bcdawgma has pointed out there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it and there are no point deductions if you do not do it this way. And honestly, when I’m in the ring at a trial I am not sure that I always do it this way (I probably do, but there is enough going on that I don’t usually pay that much attention to my footwork because thinking about footwork too hard tends to interrupt my flow and confuse both me and my dog…which is why many trainers recommend you practice footwork without the dog as well as with the dog). Obviously, consistency will make your dog’s job easier as they will be able to "anticipate" what it is you want them to do, so while it isn’t a hard and fast rule you should generally do the same thing every time, even if it isn’t the traditional way of doing it.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
we do left.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 7:40 pm
When your stepping out for a moving exercise (heel or figure 8), you step out with the leg that closest to the dog, so that would be the Left.
For the other exercises like the recall, retrieves & broad jump or even the stays, you step out on your right foot.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 8:12 pm
You step off with your Left leg (the one nearest the dog)
When you halt and want your dog to sit – you stop with your right leg first and then your left leg.
The dog see’s your right leg stop and soon learns that you are going to halt. This is an extra signal to the dog for competitions when you cannot speak to your dog during heelwork.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 11:34 pm
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