The Well Heeled Way

04/29/2024

My first training exercise with every dog I work with. The goal is to mark with a click every time Murphy operantly makes eye contact with me and reinforce with a high value treat.
Enjoy this beautiful active boy.

04/18/2024

Meet Bart and Gabe, four-month-old mini Australian Shepherd littermates. I recently worked with these pups on training them to walk side by side. This can be extremely helpful when you have two dogs that are similar in size because it only requires one person to do the walking.

Using “The Well Heeled Way® Calming Cord®”, I establish proper individual leash behavior, then we begin to work as a team. Practice, be consistent, and reinforce, and you will be walking your dogs side by side in no time!

Learn more helpful tips and tricks from Jerry Barnes and The Well Heeled Way!

08/11/2023

08/11/2023

Meet Riekee, a one-year-old rescue German Shepherd who was struggling with leash behavior. She was very reactive and especially triggered by other dogs and people.

With every iteration of our training, I could feel Riekee relaxing into the exercise and the Calming Cord™. By the end of the session, not only had Riekee developed a keen eye for walking with her owner, but Josee was like a whole new person herself!

Leash behavior like Riekee’s is a common issue for many families. It’s one of the reasons I began offering private training sessions to assist my clients in significantly improving their dog’s undesirable behaviors.

If you want to learn more about my one-on-one sessions, dog training, dog blog, and so much more, be sure to check out my website at https://www.thewellheeledway.com/.

07/16/2023

Almost Heaven at West Bay
Kelley’s Island for the next 5 days
Happy 37 to us. The best is yet to come!

05/25/2023

Meet Enzo, a very excitable 10-month-old Lab whose owners wondered, could he go from rowdy to relaxed?

"Jerry was a huge help with our 10-month-old Labrador, Enzo. Enzo would pull on his leash so badly that HE would take YOU for a walk. Jerry’s harness is life-changing. We are now able to walk Enzo on his leash without him walking us."

You can always find the good in your dog; it takes patience and practice so that what you are training becomes part of his muscle memory. Setbacks happen; calmly reset—and don't forget to find your next thank you!

If you enjoyed viewing the awesome progress Enzo made, be sure to check out my website for information about dog training, my dog blog, and so much more at https://www.thewellheeledway.com/

03/30/2023

For once we get to watch Jerry work with HIS OWN DOG, an adorable 5-year-old Golden Retriever, Calvin. Watch as Jerry takes Calvin to a few different locations working on the "place" command – beginning in a very familiar setting and moving on to new and exciting locations. He calmly demonstrates methods to encourage Calvin to go to his "place" upon request.

It literally only takes a few short 5- to 10-minute fun sessions with your dog to teach the "place" command!

If you enjoyed watching this video featuring my five-year-old Golden Retriever, Calvin, check out my website for information about dog training, my dog blog, and so much more at https://www.thewellheeledway.com/

02/15/2023

Kennel time will expose your dog to positive influences — from The Well Heeled Way® dog training method AND "mentor" dogs.

Watch as Jerry uses kennel time to teach your dog behaviors that help them to go home better than they came. Kennel time is a great way to socialize your dog, reinforce positive behaviors such as "come," and to learn by example from "mentor" dogs.

Another valuable aspect of kennel time is getting your dog comfortable with grooming practices. This creates bonding time with your dog, and also helps your dog be more relaxed when they have to be on a table — for instance, while visiting the vet.

The Well Heeled Way® uses passive leadership and a stimulating environment that dogs thrive in. "We are honored to be trusted with the care and welfare of our clients very best friends."

01/19/2023

This stare and paw from Medical Alert Assistance Dog, Frankie, means 'Mum, your odour has changed and you need to take action because you're about to become really poorly.'

Our client, Barbara, has and Frankie alerts her when her blood sugar levels became dangerously low.

Barbara then checks her levels, and if she is low or dropping fast, she drinks some juice or eats a sugary snack. She tells Frankie he's a clever boy and gives him a special treat.

Barbara says: "The paw and the eye contact together says it all. I know I need to do something."

https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/maad-information/

People's Postcode Lottery

01/17/2023

We often hear stories of Jerry training other people’s dogs. This month, we have the privilege to read about how 6-year-old Jerry first came to love dogs and later how he has trained one of his own dogs, a German shepherd named Vista. Read about how Vista became part of his family and how Jerry turned the most challenging, high-energy dog into his calm and loyal companion by finding and reinforcing “the gold” inside her.

I remember when I was 6 years old in 1960 asking my parents if we could get a dog. I didn’t hear a thing from them until about a week later when my Dad returned home with a full grown male German shepherd named Duke. Now that was a strong move to the hoop when you’re 6!

01/08/2023

Proactively conditioning an exceptional food drive.
Why?
- Dogs we’re born eaters not grazers
- At some point in almost every dogs’ life they will convalesce at a Vet office or an emergency clinic or maybe even go to a kennel where there’s many more dogs than you’ll see in this video. Any of those circumstances could be stressful for your dog in those unfamiliar environments where they don’t know the people, don’t recognize the sounds, and smell. Any radical environmental change can knock your dog off of their normal eating behavior.
- Watch this video of a kennel of World Class eaters.