01/05/2026
In this clip, you’re going to see a common focused heel problem where the dog’s rear end flares out to the left instead of staying square and parallel with the handler.
This usually isn’t a lack of understanding, it’s a placement issue from rewarding too far forward or across the body. The dog learns to crowd the handler’s left leg, and that pressure causes the rear to kick out.
In the next clips, I’ll show three different reward placements that put the dog back into left thoughts promoting slight anticipation that helps straighten the rear end.
The first reward is thrown directly lateral to the left, from the outside of the dog’s head, to immediately relieve forward pressure as well as to make clear to go left.
The second reward asks for a sharper left turn, angling toward the dog’s left rear, which encourages the rear end to stay engaged and follow the line.
(Do not let your dog turn (right) in towards your leg)
The final reward has the ball in the right hand, with the dog making a full 360-degree turn behind the handler to collect it on the right side, sometimes called a spin, behind, or U-turn reinforcing left thinking without crowding the leg.”
