Teaching Your Dog to Heel
Earl Lord
Teaching your dog to heel is one of the most basic and important
dog training commands you can teach. With an active and younger
dog or puppy, it can be especially difficult, but with patience
and consistency, it doesn’t really have to be that hard to train
your dog to heel.
The best time to practice teaching your dog to heel is before
you’ve begun going on walks. Your dog is easily distracted out on
the street and you will need his attention to properly teach the
heel command. Also, you want to be in a patient and pleasant
mood. Do not begin this, or any other dog training session, if
you are angry or in a testy mood. You should not train your dog
in an unkind or rough manner. Furthermore, it is best to teach
the heel command after your dog knows his name and the “Sit”
command.
You will want to limit the heel training session, as with other
dog training sessions, especially for young puppies to about 10
or 15 minutes and to 2 or 3 times in a day. Make sure they’ve
gone to the bathroom and have eaten and had some water. You want
their full attention for this.
For this training session, you might want to use a dog training
collar, but it is not necessary. In the backyard or garden put a
lead on the dog, and keep him on your left side. Hold the leash
in both hands, your right hand through the loop and your left
hand holding the leash with your elbow by your side and out
straight.
You want to keep your dog’s neck about even with your left leg,
and as you begin to move that is the signal for the dog to begin
walking. Your dog or puppy will initially not understand what to
do and either try to run ahead or around. Simply make gentle
corrections, say “Heel” and keep them on your left side. Try to
keep the lead slack and if your dog begins to tug on it either
stop or gently correct with the leash and stop moving. Do not
pull your dog forward or yank the leash back violently. Continue
moving only as your dog is on your left side. Try not to move if
the leash becomes tight as this teaches them to tug and pull on
it.
You will want to vary your direction and speed, turning in
circles or doing figure eights. As your dog goes in the correct
direction on your left side, remember to give lots of praise. You
might use a dog training clicker or a treat, but try to keep your
methods consistent with other dog training commands you use. Try
to end the dog training session on a positive note with something
the dog has done correctly, followed by lots of praise.
Dog Training HQ provides dog training articles and resources to
help dog and puppy owners learn to train their pet effectively.
Please visit http://www.dogtraininghq.com
for more helpful dog
training and puppy training advice.
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