Protocol for Longe Line Exercise

PROPERTY OF MANNERLY MUTTS DOG TRAINING AND ROBIN RUBIN. WE ONLY ALLOW PAYING CLIENTS TO COPY THIS MATERIAL FOR THEIR USE ALONE. THIS MATERIAL MUST NOT BE DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER NON-CLIENT PARTIES OF MANNERLY MUTTS WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION.  THIS MATERIAL IS MEANT FOR USE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A TRAINER, EXPRESSLY MANNERLY MUTTS DOG TRAINING.

Longe Line Work Follows Sit on The Dog Work:

Equipment Needed for This Exercise:· 15’ cotton canvas web longe line. (See the “Before You Begin” page for the proper way to hold your longe line)
· Training Collar with 2 Metal Rings, Preferably Herm Sprenger. If not a Herm Sprenger collar, check that the action on the collar selected is easy and fluid. It should not stick or be halting along the links. (See the “Before You Begin” page for the proper way to fit and put on a training collar.)
· Three planned points no more than 50’ apart, which we will refer to as points A, B, and C.
· Silence-The handler must be prepared not to give praise, direction, or command during this exercise other than to walk from one area to another.
· Quality shoes, preferably sneakers. No sandals, clogs, shoes with heels, or shoes that becomes slippery on surfaces. I prefer form fitting non-laced sport shoes.
· Practice areas. For days 1 to 3, you might want to identify a large enclosed area, just in case.
· Single handler(I do not mean your marital status) only!! Don’t confuse your dog by subjecting them to inconsistent handling during training.


Explanation and Goal of Exercise: This exercise begins to teach the dog to pay attention to the handler. It also begins to teach the handler how to allow this to happen without nagging the dog by the use of silence and movement.


Steps for Days 1 thru 3:

• Start with confining your dog to a small area (preferably their crate) for two hours prior to beginning.
• Put the training collar on correctly when you let your dog out. Hold the collar by the top and bottom ring. Drop the chain through the bottom ring. Place the collar over your left hand. If you have done this correctly, when you tug on the ring that is not holding the chain (live ring), pulling the live ring will allow it to release. Otherwise, it will just tighten on your arm, and that is not what you want. Once the collar is in the correct conformation, position your dog at your left hand side, facing in the same direction that you are. Put your left hand on top of his/her head, then slip the collar off of your wrist and over his/her head instead.
• Clip the leash to the collar.
• If you are not outside already, you may want to walk your dog outside on the six-foot leash. Then clip the longe line to the collar, step on it, and take off the six-foot leash.
  Slip your left hand thumb through the leash handle. Hold this hand at belly button level with elbow bent.
• From this point on, you are to walk directly to points, and not acknowledge or look back at your dog whatsoever. Leave the length of the leash out, and walk directly to point A without command, praise or any verbal comment whatsoever.
• Now walk straight from point A to point B. Walk briskly and with purpose to not meander or try in anyway to follow your dog.
• At reaching the destination area, stop for a few minutes. Do not praise or talk to your dog. Look at your surroundings and relax.
• At the end of the break, walk purposefully and briskly to point C.
• As before you will rest for a few minutes. Repeat this pattern for either two short sessions totaling 30 minutes, or one long session of 30 minutes.
• Do not walk your dog back to his place directly after the session. Instead, drop the line and end every training session by hanging out for the next 20 minutes. No playing whatsoever or over the top praise should occur. If your dog attempts to bolt or leave the fifteen-foot area, simply grab the handle of the leash, and brace yourself if necessary.
  Once the long break is done, return your dog to their area of confinement for the next hour. Be sure that he is not disturbed, and allowed to rest and absorb the information that he/she has learned.--

NOTE: Handler/owner should start making a list for the next days of things that have successfully distracted their dog. Also be aware at other times of things that distract your dog easily.
Steps for days 4-7 (Italic is different than first few days):
Objective of days 4-7, your dog must watch you in order to be attentive and accomplish the exercise correctly. We are teaching the dog to be attentive to the whereabouts of his/her handler, not the other way around. Since we are not giving a command or signal, the dog has no choice but to watch us intently in order to predict what we are about to do.

• Start with confining your dog to a small area (preferably their crate) for two hours prior to beginning.
• Put the training collar on correctly when you let your dog out. Hold the collar by the top and bottom ring. Drop the chain through the bottom ring. Place the collar over your left hand. If you have done this correctly, when you tug on the ring that is not holding the chain (live ring), pulling the live ring will allow it to release. Otherwise, it will just tighten on your arm, and that is not what you want. Once the collar is in the correct conformation, position your dog at your left hand side, facing in the same direction that you are. Put your left hand on top of his/her head, then slip the collar off of your wrist and over his/her head instead.
• Clip the leash to the collar.
• If you are not outside already, you may want to walk your dog outside on the six-foot leash. Then clip the longe line to the collar, step on it, and take off the six-foot leash.Slip your left hand thumb through the leash handle. Hold this hand at belly button level with elbow bent.
• Have your memorized internal list of temptations and distractions handy. (opening doors, going to house, going towards car, opening car door, children planted, trained dogs planted strategically, )
• First, walk the dog purposely towards the identified distraction. You want your dog to fully see the distraction, and to go for it if he wants to. If he/she fails to see, stop 20' away and wait until he/she notices the distraction.
• When the dog notices their distraction, be sure you have locked your left hand through the loop with your thumb through the handle and the rest of the fingers locked around. The right hand should lock below left hand for added support.
• The whole length of the line should be dropped (IN OTHER WORDS NO SLACK SHOULD BE TAKEN UP).
• As the dog moves towards the distraction (start moving-RUN NO MORE THAN FIVE STEPS), drive hard in the opposite direction with your hands centered at your belly. You want your momentum to carry the dog with you, so don't hesitate or slow down (DON'T STOP, GO NORMAL PACE AND JUDGE WHETHER YOUR DOG IS NOW PAYING ATTENTION).
• Move back towards the dog with a slack line.
• The moment he moves towards the distraction, repeat and move in the opposite direction from him.
• After about the fourth time, you will see your dog watching you and not the distraction. This is what you want. At first the dog won't be absolutely sure what is required and may hesitate or stand there.
• Once your dog is regarding you and not the temptation, map out a route that you will follow. When your dog starts off in another direction, turn opposite and jog forward about five steps. If your dog immediately follows once you leave the area, that is good and he/she is learning what is required when on and off leash. We are setting the dog up not only for the immediate exercises, but building him/her to learn what is required on the last lessons of the Basic Obedience Training Plan.
• At this point, as in the first three days, provide a couple minute break for the dog of quiet to contemplate these changes and perhaps make a mistake because of the quiet.
• At the end of the session, again drop the line for twenty minutes and hang out with your dog. Be sure to keep the handle in sight in case you have a dog that will bolt. Normally the first three days have taken care of this.
• Finally, put your dog up for an hour to relax and take in the lesson.

NOTE: Increase the draw of the distractions and temptations during the next four days. Still no praise or commands for the dog during this lesson.

The following video has edited out some time.   This is a sample and representation of what you need to do the early days of 4-7 to get the result in day 8.   This is broken into two parts.





Day eight: Do as days 4-7, but keep your dog five feet from you (ie the moment your dog even starts to list away from you, jog the five steps in the opposite direction) Last 10 minutes of this day, move your dog to a six foot leash and practice the same pattern. Still end the session the same way.

Example of what Day 8 would look like:



Maine and New Hamsphire Dog Training
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