The Armpit Toy: Building the Foundation for Focused Heeling
Focused heeling takes time to develop. One tool I often use in the beginning of fading the hand lure is the armpit toy.
But it's important to understand what the toy is—and what it isn't.
The armpit toy is a phase in my training. It is not a tool I want to use forever.
Why Use an Armpit Toy?
The armpit toy gives the dog a clear focal point while I take away the hand lure and teach the position and movement I want.
Through many repetitions, it helps the dog understand:
-
Where I want the head positioned
-
Where the dog's body belongs
-
That working in this position is rewarding
-
That staying connected to the handler is valuable
It also allows me to build enthusiasm for heeling without constantly moving a toy in front of the dog's face.
But there is an important distinction between teaching position and luring position.
I don't want my dog thinking:
"I heel because I can see the toy."
I want the dog eventually thinking:
"I know where I belong, and I enjoy working with my handler."
Don't Become Dependent on the Toy
One of the biggest mistakes I see is leaving the toy visible for too long.
The dog looks fantastic while the toy is under the arm. Then the handler removes it—and suddenly the dog's head position, engagement, or movement changes.
That tells me the dog may have learned to follow the focal point rather than truly understanding the exercise
That's why I'm always thinking about the next step while teaching the current one.
The toy helps create the behavior, but it shouldn't become the behavior.
What Am I Looking For?
I'm not just looking for the dog to stare upward.
I'm looking at the entire picture:
I also don't want to ask for too much too soon.
A few excellent steps with the right attitude are far more valuable to me than a long heeling pattern where the quality starts falling apart.
The Question I Always Ask
At some point, the focal point has to disappear.
And that's when I want to know:
What happens to your dog's head when you take the toy away?
Does the dog stay in position?
Does the dog look toward your hand?
Does the dog start searching for the toy?
Does the dog lose engagement completely?
Or does the dog continue as if nothing changed?
The answer tells you what the dog has actually learned. It also tells you what needs to be trained next.
The Goal Isn't the Toy
I don't use the armpit toy because I want my dog to need a toy forever.
I use it because it can help me build upon the foundation I started with food.
Eventually, I want to move the reward out of sight, change where the reward comes from, increase duration, and develop a dog that understands the behavior without needing to see the reward.
Before competition, I want my dog to know the head position—not be lured into it.
The armpit toy is simply one step in getting there.
What's Next?
Once your dog understands the basic concept, the next question is:
When should you take the toy away?
Take it away too soon and you can lose the behavior. Keep it visible too long and the dog can become dependent on it.
The next step is learning how to remove the focal point without removing the behavior.
Next in the series: When Should You Take the Toy Away?
