Chapter 6
🐾 Now we combine everything while walking forwards
For the first time, we now put both parts together from normal forward heelwork:
the execution of the Stand and the standing stay.
Start with your dog in heel position and give your announcer or preparation cue if you use one.
Then:
➡️ Walk straight ahead with the dog at heel
➡️ Say “S”
➡️ Move the hand up
➡️ Say “T”
➡️ The dog comes into the Stand at the closed hand
➡️ Move the hand forward and take one or two steps away
➡️ Return to the dog
➡️ Wait briefly
➡️ Reward
🏁 The complete exercise is now there
At this point, you already have the full structure of the exercise as it should later look in a trial.
There are still a few aids involved, but we will gradually fade those out next.
From here, you can also start increasing the distance step by step once the exercise stays secure.
🔄 Do not walk away every time
This is important:
Do not automatically walk away after every single Stand.
If the dog performs a really good Stand, stay there and reward the execution immediately.
If the Stand is less precise, you can continue into the stay and walking-away part.
Why?
Because if you always walk away before rewarding, the dog may mainly associate the reward with you returning, rather than with the quality of the Stand itself.
🎯 Reward both parts
We want both elements to stay valuable:
✅ a fast, clean Stand
✅ a secure standing stay
Sometimes reward the execution itself, and sometimes reward after the stay.
💡 If both parts have been built carefully, you now have the full Stand from Straight Ahead — next we can start fading the remaining aids.