Figure 8. Orienting the dog on the /ceding pan. 



the pan just as the dog reaches the heel position. 

 The dog is allowed to pass the heel position 

 without being stopped. Recall training in the 

 search chain is complete when the dog returns 

 to its handler on command and is being rein- 

 forced as it passes the heel position on its way 

 back to the pan (fig 14). The dog should perform 

 a minimum of 10 trials before going on to the 

 next step in the search chain. Training time for 

 the average dog is four to six 15-minute sessions. 



c. Step 3 — Stay at Heel Position. Begin by 

 reviewing step 2. On about the fourth trial, the 

 handler catches his dog's collar with his left 

 hand as the dog is just to his left rear and 

 holds it at the heel position (fig 15). The dropper 

 delays dropping the cube just until the instant 

 the dog stops straining at the collar. When the 

 dog stops at the heel position with little or no 

 pressure on its collar, the handler can stop hold- 

 ing his dog. Make sure, however, that the food 



is still dropped at the moment the dog stops 

 at the heel position, until it has stopped on its 

 own for eight to ten trials without breaking the 

 search chain. The dropper can then delay be 

 fractions of a second over 10 to 15 trials until 

 the dog is staying at heel for several seconds. 

 Stay at the heel position is complete when the 

 dog stays at heel for about 5 seconds before 

 being reinforced, without breaking the search 

 chain, and without the handler's assistance. 

 Training: two to three 15-minute sessions. 



d. Step U — Moveout Command. (The com- 

 mand MOVEOUT, given in a low, firm voice, 

 will be used to initiate nearly all future training 

 exercises; it is also used to initiate operational 

 patrols or exercises.) Review steps 1 to 3 as 

 needed. After several trials of step 4, the handler 

 gives the command MOVEOUT, accompanied by 

 the moveout arm gesture. This gesture is ac- 

 complished by using the right hand and arm 



14 



