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How To Teach Your Dog To Heel
Leash
training for your dog should start at a young age. Dogs are not used to
the idea of walking next to their master with a leash connected to
their back, and so one of the first forms of leash training for your
dog should be the “Heel” command.
Heeling is when
your dog walks right beside you at your command, rather than running
recklessly around. It is good for when your dog appears to be
misbehaving in public, or when you would like to ensure that your dog
is on your side in an area that is full of distractions.
Training Your Dog
to “Heel”
To
teach your dog to heel, you need to keep your dog on a leash, and
shorten the leash so that your dog has no choice but to stay near your
side. Choose a side of your body that you would like your dog to stand
by as well. Dogs are not going to understand that they need to stay “by
your side.” What they will understand is that they need to be “on your
LEFT side” (or on your right side, whichever you prefer).
- Take a handful of treats and keep them in your hand.
- Keep your hand on the side of your body, preferably near
your hip.
- Say “Heel” in a voice that resembles what you would use in
a
panic in public. In other words, don’t say “heel” in too sweet a voice
because you may be yelling it in case of an emergency, but at the same
time don’t say it in too harsh a voice because dog’s train better when
you sound positive.
- Right after you say heel, take a step forward. When/if your
dog walks with you, give them a treat and reward them with praise.
- After they appear to be getting the gist, change the
command to
last 2 steps before you give them the reward. Then three steps.
Consistently increase the length to ensure your dog learns to stay by
your side.
- Once you have worked with your dog for a while, try
performing it without the leash in an enclosed location.
One
thing to remember is that you must be consistent – If you have been
training your dog on the left side of your body, always keep training
your dog on the left side. If you start training your dog on the right
side of your body, your dog could get confused and easily lose their
skills.
Training your dog can be both fun and
useful. To learn more tips and tricks for training your dog, sign up
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