Teaching how to teach your dog to heel is probably one of the more desired and yet elusive skills in all dogs. What would you like to see? A long relaxed walk with your dog on his lead or an energetic, high-pitched, yappy dog that seems to always be moving forward but never actually getting anywhere? Or would you rather be forced to keep up with them every step of the way?
Heel collars are one way to get started training your dog how to heel. I know it seems a little harsh, but in order for your dog to truly understand what you are asking from him, he needs to be able to feel your touch. Dogs do not understand verbal cues, but they will definitely know your body language when you are giving out commands. There is no easier way to teach your dog this important skill then with a leash walk.
The idea behind leash walking with your dog is very simple. You start by having your dog put his nose to the leash and then gently walk forward towards whatever it is you are going to be walking. As soon as he feels your hand on his back, he must walk forward and not hesitate in order to do so. This is important dog training because it establishes the fact that he must move forward regardless of what you are currently causing him to do.
One great trick to try when learning how to teach your dog to heel is to ask him to “step into the hole”. What you are doing here is asking him to heel into the grass. The challenge here is that you have to make sure that his front paws are on the ground before he steps in. Many dogs will naturally step into the grass, but if you are consistent with this command, you can quickly get him to understand that he only gets a treat or praise for when his front feet are on the ground.
This is one dog training trick that many people will try to teach their dog, but it really does not work. In order to successfully walk your dog on a loose leash walk, it is necessary to have him on a leash and not in a straight line. You should begin your walk by pulling forward and then letting the dog heel. The goal here is to send your dog in a circle instead of a straight line. If you do not do this correctly, your dog will be confused and feel every time he goes on the walk.
There are other methods you can use while learning how to dog heeling. One such method involves asking your dog to walk next to you. You then give your dog encouragement and praise each time he heel’s in the walk. Keep in mind that when you are teaching a dog how to heal properly, it should not take long before he learns how to heal properly. The key to this working is getting him on a leash and then asking him to heel. This is the easiest way to teach a dog heeling.
Another great tip on how to teach your dog to heel properly is to give him the command to heel and then take your dog through an obstacle course. The walk does not have to be anything complicated. For example, you could set up three or four boards and have your dog run across them. He could also run along a fence or on top of an obstacle course. By getting him to heal each time he goes across one obstacle, your dog will soon learn how to heal correctly and you will no longer have to teach him how to heal whenever you go out for a walk.
It can sometimes be difficult to teach your dog how to heal because of the length of his leg. A good way to make sure your dog gets the best results from the training is to start in the ‘down’ position. When your dog heels, simply move to the standing position and continue to repeat the process. As your dog gets better at heel positioning, you can even use hand targets to help him learn the correct dog footing.