How to Train a Dog to Heel or Walk Nicely on a Leash

I would like to welcome James Cassidy to the blog today. He will be talking about how to get your pup to walk with you nicely. Nothing is more annoying than a doggo that pulls you everywhere. James has a few tricks up his sleeves that will help you out.

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Are you wondering on how you can train your dog to walk or heel nicely on a leash by your side, turning when you turn, stopping when you stop and continue walking with you past other people and dogs? Definitely, you will want to ensure that your dog does not pull on the leash and that he only sniffs and goes potty with your permission. One of the most challenging things dog owners encounter when training their dogs is leash manners despite it being fun and worth all the effort.

 

What to consider before you start training your dog to heel or walk

Getting a front attachment harness or a head collar will help you in discouraging your dog from pulling. However, you will first have to train your dog to walk beside you without pulling at all.

Front attachment harness refers to an easy to use and safe no pull device that is suitable for all the dogs. It is important that you choose a collar for dogs that have aggressive habit or dogs that are in need of maximum control.

 

 

Requirements

Yes, it’s possible to train your dog to heel or walk nicely on a leash or without it. When you are not using a leash, you need to ensure that you are in a safe area with your dog. You can decide to train your dog in a fenced yard.

You also have to get some treats on hand. Always go for dog’s favorite treats. In case you have small or stubborn dogs that make it a bit difficult to bend down or offer treats while in heel position, you can opt for a wooden spoon that is coated with cream cheese, peanut butter or wet dog food.

 

At First, Treat Continuously

You can decide to start with your dog sitting on your left side. Holding a handful of treats or something yummy close to your dog’s nose, tell him heel and start walking. At first, take a few steps and offer the dog treats continuously.

Ensure that you are doing this in an area with very little distraction. In case you do this in an area where there several interesting things taking place, there are chances the treat might not be enough to take your dog’s attention.

 

Start Treating Less

When you can walk with your dog for a few yards at a heel while offering him frequent treats, you can now consider reducing the amount of treats you give.

You can decide to start off at first with the dog sitting on the left side and say heel. Offer him treat and take a few steps before offering him another treat.  

Always reward your dog with a treat before his interests fade. Keep the distance you walk with him short and increase the work up by walking a yard or two before giving him a treat.

 

 

Increase the Distance

When you are able to walk some few yards with the dog in a heel with a few treats, it is now time you should consider adding some distance to your walk. Give the dog treats but slowly start to fade them out. In case your dog is frequently breaking out of the heel at any point, there are chances you might be moving too quickly for him. Return and start over with the same distance and the amount of treats when you were last successful with the dog keeping at heel.

 

Increase the amount of Distraction

When you are now able to walk some distance with a few treats with the dog at heel at your side, it is now time for you to add some distraction.

You can either take walks through the neighborhood or decide to walk at the park. At first, when you are starting off, you will have to frequently go back to treating your dog while taking shorter walkers until such a time when the dog will understand what is expected of him.

 

Slowly Fade the Treats

When you can walk for long distances with your dog at heel, you can now decide to stop using the treats altogether. However, before you completely stop using the treats, ensure that you add more and more distance to the distance you walk while offering fewer treats.

It will get to a point when your dog will be able to heel without you offering any treats. To facilitate training session you can use best invisible pet fence so that dog cannot run away.

 

 

Troubleshooting

There are times when your dog will break out of the heel. In most cases, this will be common during their early learning days. However, you need not worry so much; here are some important things you can always do to help you fix that problem.

You need to go one or two steps back. One reason why your dog might be forgetting the training is that you might have moved to the next step before the dog was ready. In case your dog makes several mistakes continuously, all you have to do is revert to rewarding him more treats and walking shorter distance. Always take your time and before you start increasing the walking distance again.

 

 

Ensure you always keep a close eye on the dogs’ body language. It is important that you always learn to anticipate when your dog is about to break from its heel position. In case he fixates on something besides treats or his muscles bunch or whenever you feel like the dog is about to break from its heel, always give the heel command again and ensure you pivot to the left and go in opposite direction. This will ensure your dog learn that it is necessary to pay attention to what you do or say.

For one to successfully get the dogs attention, it is important that they first devote their attention to the dog which can at times be tiring. There are individuals who can never heel their dogs for some few minutes. One secret to successful heeling of dogs is to integrate active, precise heeling into long, enjoyable and luxurious walks. If you are newbie dog owner you may face excessive barking of your dog, then try bark control device to stop barking.