Training Your Dog To Heel
As in most dog training cases, treats seem to work best for getting your dog to comply. Teaching your dog to heel is no exception. Have your treats ready (though this may not always be the case) when attempting to train your dog to heel.
Teaching your dog to heel should always be done by yourself (the owner) in order to enforce that you are the authority figure over him. There are several methods used to train a dog to heel, and a couple of very successful ones are listed below.
Using a Leash
Begin by attaching the leash to your dog with him standing on your left side. You should hold the leash fairly tight, allowing some slack in your right hand. Again, make sure to have your treats handy. Make sure your dog knows you have the treats as well. Once prepared, give the heel command.
Take a step ahead with your left foot and bring your right hand to a position where the dog can smell the treat. While doing this, give a quick pull on the least and say “heel” in your normal command tone. If your dog tries to cross in front of you to get the treat, again pull back on the leash quickly and give him the “no” command. You will need to reposition him to your left before restarting the process.
Proceed walking several steps and then stop abruptly. At that time, tug firmly on the leash and command the dog to “heel”. Give your dog a treat when he reaches the correct position. This task has a lot of repetition and may take several attempts, so use your patience for this training session. If this method doesn’t work, move on to something else.
The Clicker Method
Most people choose to use a leash to get their dog to feel, however if you train your dog to heel using a clicker, you will lose the need for a leash! You will need to use a leash initially when teaching the clicker method however. Again, make sure your dog is on your left side (this is the traditional side for the “heel” command).
Place your dog in the heel position without pulling too hard on the leash. Proceed forward and after a few steps, press the clicker, followed by a treat. When you want to stop, command your dog to “sit” during the process of stopping. After some time, your dog will get that he is supposed to sit as you stop walking. When he does follow through and sit, click and give him a treat.
You may do this several times and then remove the leash and attempt to command him to heel without the leash. You can do different movements, walk backward, etc. Most dogs will pick this up fairly quickly as long as you are consistent with your clicks and treats.
Training your dog to heel is a major accomplishment and an important one as well when it comes to having an obedient dog! Once trained, the will be much more relaxing to walk with.
