HEELING
At this point, you should be ready to eliminate the automatic jerk when you begin heeling as well as any help other than the word "sit" when you halt. If your dog refuses, even one time, then go back and use the corrections forcefully five times in a row and try again. Vary heeling sessions as much as possible. Take your pup out to new places where there are distractions You can always go back to the original attention exercise if you need to do so. Pay attention to your dog. The best correction is made as your dog just begins to make a mistake, rather than after the mistake is made. Always praise your dog for improvement after a correction. Keep training fun.

An additional attention getter is doing an about turn from a halt. Do not step forward before you turn. Merely tell your dog, “Fido, heel” and take your first step in the other direction... but always start off with your left foot. You can pivot on the right foot, but the left always leaves the ground first.

SIT/STAY AND DOWN/STAY
If your dog is steady, you may drop your lead and walk up to twelve feet away from him. But if they move, go back to where you can make a good correction and start again. You must master the stay in all positions. Start to pet and praise you dog in the down/stay position. Do not allow him to move. When you move away from your dog in the stay position, start with your RIGHT foot. You’ve already conditioned your dog to move with you when you lead with your left foot, the right foot lead will eventually reinforce the stay position. This is a good place for him to be when a small child pets him. Many children learn to love or fear dos when they pet them. Help cultivate a love for animals by having your dog under complete control for children to pet.

EVERYDAY USE OF COMMANDS
Start to use the sit/stay in conjunction with giving your dog the food dish. Make him stay while you put it down for him. He may only go to it after he is released.

Also, the dog must learn that you are the pack leader and can handle his food whenever you want. While he is eating, pick the dish up and take it away for a minute. Make him sit/stay and then put it down again. Release him and allow him to finish his meal. Do not take the dish away more than once, that becomes teasing, and is wrong.

SIT OR STAND FOR EXAMINATION
Put your dog on a sit/stay and have members of your family, or a close friend, approach the dog. Have them hold out their fist to let the dog sniff (palm downward). Never offer the hand with the fingers out. Then, have them pet the dog on the neck, shoulder, and back. Any other breed, I would include petting the head, but the Anatolian may take exception and until you know your puppy/dog and their reactions, it’s best to encourage otherwise. Touching the top of the head is an act of dominance and eventually, you will want you dog to accept the head pet from family and friends.

If this it too much for your pup all at once, do just a little at a time (i.e. just approach the dog, then a shoulder, or neck pat, etc.) After family members can do this without the dog being upset or breaking, do it with neighbors and eventually strangers, especially children.

Add this to your work routine.

You should be able to do this and extend it to examining ears, teeth, feet, etc. without getting up. This is very useful when he goes to the vet, or if he should ever be injured. Do the whole exercise again, but with the dog in a “STAND/STAY” command. There are times when the vet will want or need your dog to be standing. If you plan on showing your pup, you will want him to accept a stranger touching him. (We will work more on that later.)

RECALL
Have your dog sit/stay and to the end of the lead. If the sit/stay exercise is not solid, you will have problems at this point. Go back and work hard on that. You should move out far enough that the loop of the lead is in your right hand and your right hand hanging down a bit in front of you. Now, call your dog. “Fido, come!” In a happy voice and immediately pop the lead back to your side. Run backwards a few steps. When he comes to you, tell him to “sit” and praise him. Make sure this is a wonderful experience for him.

EVERYDAY USE OF COMMANDS
A problem that many people have is that their dog bolts out the door every time it is opened. Let’s teach the dog to sit and stay while you answer the door and not get up til released. To do this, you must have the dog on a lead and collar to make effective corrections until he learns what is expected of him, especially if this has been a problem. Set him up a few times a day at first by having a friend or family member come and ring the doorbell and patiently wait while you work with your furry friend.

You can also teach him to sit and stay until you get out of the car. A dog that bolts the second a car door opens can be a dead dog.

FINISH
Start with your dog sitting directly in front of your feet. Hold the lead close to the dog’s collar and all the lead in your right hand. Say the dog’s name and give the command “heel.” As you say heel, move your right foot back one step. LEAVE YOUR RIGHT FOOT IN PLACE. As you give the command heel you are going to pull your dog behind you with your right hand. As the dog gets to your back, you are to switch the lead to your lefthand and bring the dog around to the heel position.

Second method of this exercise is called the swing. You start it the same as above, only this time as you give the command heel, you are going to step past the dog’s left side one good step. Again, bring the dog around and into the heel position. When you walk your dog, use the heel starts.