Finish Command

This is a fancy move to impress your friends and neighbors. This command connects the Come with the Heel command. After you have properly executed the Come command, your dog should be in a toe to toe sit.

1. You should have no more than one foot of distance between your feet and his.
2. Gather up all of the lead and put it all in your left hand. Take out all of the slack.
3. Say “Heel” or “Finish”. Choice is yours. I prefer “Heel” because I like to think of Heel not as an act, but as a position. The position of being next to you on your left side.
4. Take two steps directly backward. As if you were on a balance beam. At the same time, pull your dog with you. Extend your left arm out straight. Your dog’s head should be directly under your left hand. No slack in the lead.
5. Pull your left hand in towards your body and then push it forward as you take two steps forward. You should be standing exactly where you started.
6. Ask your dog to Sit. The two forward steps simulate a normal Heel with an automatic sit.

In essence, you are making your dog “U turn” next to you in order to change direction. The initial arm extension is to make him turn into you instead of away. The two steps up and back are temporary, to get your dog up and moving. Eventually, you can just rock and finally eliminate this step.