so i'm using the green book, and as much as i appreciate everyone's advice, i'd like to hear from those who've used this book or methods similar.....

he's already quiet when i 'leash' him to his corner of the room.....i've got the leash tired to the corner of his kennel and i've put him in there after letting him stay on the leash for about 10 mins....he never whined, but started chewing on the leash....is this as bad or whining?....should i spray something bitter on the leash to keep him from chewing on it?.....

in 30 mins or so, i'll take him out and try to lead him around the house with a leash.....this may be the difficult part....i took him to a few stores saturday and he refused to walk with the leash....he's sit and just dare me to drag him....so i gave in and carried him

i'm not sure if i'm asking for help yet, since i've just started with heel, but i'll keep this thread going as a place to seek help.....so please, share your wealth of knowledge with me

***so i went ahead and got him out of the kennel before he got too sleepy.....he didn't make me drag him like saturday, but he did resist....there had to be some tension in the leash to make him walk with me....maybe this is bc he was getting tired, but i doubt that's the only reason he resisted....what do i do when he tries to defy me?....i don't think it's best to just stop and let him off, so i kept the tension on the leash....should i take him out each time on the leash, or do i need to keep the pattern of 1. leash to 'corner 2. put in kennel 3. walk with leash?

Up front I am not familiar with the green book and their training methods.  However, I have trained quite a few dogs in obedience, the last two were shorthairs and Belle has obedience titles and Halo will soon have her first one.  So, for heeling first I work on getting them used to the leash.  Put it on him when you have him in the back yard and let him drag it.  After he is used to dragging it, then pick it up and don't pull him on the leash, but instead call him and getting him going in your direction while on leash.  If he balks, give him a couple of pops on the leash while calling excitedly.  Use a toy or treat if needed to get him moving and then praise him.  It may take a little while, but he will eventually figure out that good things happen while on a leash.  Do NOT let him chew on the leash.  Nip that one in the bud now.  Tell him no and remove the leash from his mouth.

Once he is walking with you on the leash, then you can start with heeling.  Remember this is one of the hardest commands for the dog to master, so be patient.  You have to let him know where you want him to be so be sure you praise him when he is in the right spot, and gently correct him when he is not.  Be patient as he is a pup.  Also, keep these sessions short and if he does something right praise him and end the session on a positive note. Always end on something positive. That's probably enough to get you started for now.

Good luck and keep asking questions.  I would also read some other obedience books as not one size fits all.  I use a combination of techniques depending on the dog.  If one thing doesn't seem to be working, try a different approach.

ccr -  Thanks.  Dogs are my passion and especially GSPs.  I love seeing GSP owners do well with their pups.  I have some great mentors so for me this is just payback for all the folks that have helped me.  My pockets always have treats in them.  I like to keep treats called Charlie Bears around because they are small and hard (no mess in the pocket) and they are special, not their normal food.  I find them at PetSmart, but you can get them online too.

Just remember when you pull on the leash the normal reaction of the dog is to pull in the opposite direction.  The looser you can keep the leash when you are training the better.  Use verbal correction and quick pops with the leash (not hard though).  This was the hardest thing for me to learn with heeling, but it works.  Use your voice and your body to move the dog not the leash.  As the dog gets better at heeling he will respond to things like a foot movement or a shoulder drop.  Get some obedience books and read them as you will learn allot.  Even if you never show your pup in obedience, you will have a dog that people marvel at and you will be very proud.  If you can find a good obedience training class, take the class as it will help you to train your pup.

GSPs are so easy to train too because they are smart.  Just remember because they are smart we as trainers have to work harder to keep them engaged.  They will get bored, so keep is short and fun.

As you progress anytime you have questions, just post or PM me and I will try to help.

I am getting my new pup this Sunday, so I will be right behind you in training a puppy.

ccr -  It is always good when you recognize when something is working, but also when it is not.  It is a good trainer that also knows when to back up a few steps in training.  So, good job.  I know your pup will turn out the way you want him too.  Can't wait to hear about your progress.

Here is my method.  Has worked for both my dogs.

As soon as I get the dog (puppy) i let it drag around the leash.  My dogs had been amazed at the dang thing and played with it for 10-15 minutes and then got bored and just let it drag behind them.  I then went outside and just stood (or sat) in one spot and got the dog use to being restrained by the lead.  They put up a fuss for a bit, tugg'n, chew'n, wimpering........and in a good 10 minutes or less they figure out who is boss( mostly the lead) and they stop tug'n.   I do that for a few days and soon they understand they are restrained by the lead.

So now that they understand the function of the lead i take them for a walk.  I put the dog next to me on my left, add  a slip lead collar to the lead and go for a walk.  If he goes too far out front, quick snap correction, "Killian Heal"........if he pulls again,  "ATTTTT, HEAL"   When he corrects and does what is asked........"Good boy Killian, thats my big bad bird finder, Good boy, your the best!!!"   If he falls behind......."Killian Heal!"......followed by either a praise or a verbal correction along with a quick correction on the slip lead.

When the dog has going in a straight line figured out we start turning.  If he goes too far forward on a left turn he will get my shin or knee in his face as a correction (no pain).  

Basically i use mild corrections but HUGE praise.  3-5 minutes a few times a day with my GSP at 10 weeks and he understood the process.   Now at 12 weeks he understands heel on a lead.  He does challange ...but that is to be expected for a puppy.

Nothing more than conditioning the dogs mind to understand the discomport of a scowl or lead correction goes away when he heels.

Try Force Fetching.........now that is a pain in the butt (or ear).

I sit there with him first so he can just learn to be restrained.  Seperation anxiety is a whole new ball of wax.  My pup is crate trained but he still will wimper if left alone on the lead right now.  But with me he has it figured out that he can't go no place.

He understands the heal process good now at 12 weeks.  It may seem harsh but if he pulls ahead stop in your tracks and one little snap backward enough to flip him over.....not hurt but shock him; and he won't tug like that.  I think I did that two times and he don't tug like that now.  he will creep up but i just give a little "attt" and a correction and he his good.

The jolt was probably a bit too much.  I think you are doing right by getting him to like the leash again.  Next time don't let him get so much steam up heading for the back door.  When he first heads that way and gets a bit ahead, give him a little pop and tell him to heel.  You can give several little pops if needed, but no "jolts."  You might also try heading for the door and when he starts that way using his favorite toy turn around and squeak it and throw and release the leash.  Do that for a few times and he will be looking to chase a toy in the opposite direction.  Then you can mix it up and he will be watching you for the toy instead of the door. 

Glad training is going so well.  GSPs are the smartest dogs I have ever trained.  That is the good news (they catch on quick), and the bad news (they get just as easily bored so we have to work harder at making it interesting).

Sit is typically the easiest command for the dog.  Probably because it is easy for us to teach (we are already conditioned to teach it) and we it is one we start early.  It is also a really useful command you can use when for instance they are jumping up and down on you at dinner time, and you want to teach them a different behavior.  You can tell them sit while you fix dinner and the reward is they get dinner when they are sitting.  This example comes to mind as that is exactly what I had to do with Ringo who is my first chow hound GSP.  He is absolutely food crazy.  He too picked up sit very quickly.  I now need to start working on the stay.  He has also done extremely well on the leash from the first time he was on one.  This is also unusaly, but Ringo has very little fear and I think that has made a difference with the leash.

One suggestion, with the whoa command if I understood the post correctly you are using it in two different ways: 1) slow whoa to slow him down and 2) normal whoa to stop him.  Switch the first slow whoa to another word like easy so you eliminate any confusion.  It will just be easier to train him in the long run if you use a different word for every different behavior.

Keep up the good work!!