It’s best if your dog already knows how to sit obediently before you train him to walk to heel.
You should start training him in a quiet room, and walk towards a door that does not lead outdoors – this will mean him not getting too excited as if he’s about to go out.
You will then gradually increase the distractions until your dog walks to heel out of the front door without becoming overexcited.
If your dog is boisterous, try using a head halter to give you more control.
Also: Remember not to keep repeating the “Heel” command over and over again as this will confuse him.
Here’s The Steps:
First: Start training with your dog in the sit position on your left side. Hold the leash and a food reward in your right hand, and hold the other end of the leash close to the dog’s collar with your left hand.
Say your dog’s name and the command “Heel”, then begin to walk, leading with your left foot. Keep your dog close to your left thigh.
Give your dog the food reward after he has walked to heel for a few paces.
When the dog is able to walk 25 paces without pulling on the leash, turn right, using a food reward to lure him in the correct direction.
Now: increase your speed, while slowing down your dog, for a left turn.
To do this, slide your hand down the leash to your dog’s collar, and lead with your left leg.
Now you can turn all the way round. Keep using the food to lure your dog. Say his name and give command “Heel”, while turning in a full circle.
Now, various problems can occur when you’re training your dog to walk without a leash.
So here are some tips to overcome the most common problems.
Sometimes your dog may lose concentration when you’re training him to walk to heel. Here’s what you can do to fix this: Put your left hand under his collar and bring him back to the heel position. Then start again. If his attention still wanders, work out what’s distracting him and try to avoid whatever it is.
Remember: You should keep training sessions short (between 5 – 15 minutes depending on how well you have your dog’s attention.
If your dog keeps jumping up, hold his collar with your left hand and remember to keep the reward held low. You will find that he is less likely to jump if the treat is held low down.
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Heel