Teaching your dog how to heel properly can improve dog heeling and also obedience. The objective of this dog training technique is to get your dog in a better, more proper heel position. The heel command aids in decreasing stress, fear, anxiety, separation stress and leash/muzzle problems. Your dog should be well-behaved before attempting this technique to teach your dog to heel. Make sure your dog has no issues with pulling on leashes or chewing up shoes. Have him wear a lead and take him for a walk first.
Use a crate to confine your dog in a safe place while you are away. Many dogs have issues with going outdoors, but they thrive when they are in their crates with food and water. The reason is that dogs are accustomed to being in their dog runs or dog cages for all day. Take your dog outside on a leash once you are home. If you let your dog out of his dog cage on the first step of the walk, he will learn to heel just as soon as he gets out of the crate.
If you are going to try this dog training technique to train your dog to heel, add distractions. Let your dog off of his leash, so that he can explore the yard. Also, add treats in the area for good behavior, so that he will learn he needs to keep his behavior in check with your supervision.
To begin, when you walk by a target area where you know your dog is going to stop tapping, add some distraction by putting something appealing in front of him such as a toy or a treat. Make sure it is not too tempting, so that he does not want to take the treat, and instead he stops by the target area to get rid of his attention deficit disorder. After he finishes to wandering off, quickly give him the attention he needs by praising him.
Once you have your dog’s attention focused, move in closer to the walkway and slowly bring your dog toward the walkway. When you reach the end of his walk, stop him in his tracks, with his collar still attached. With your palm on his chest, say “Good Boy!” while giving him a dog treat.
Next, you will practice teaching him the “down” command. This is also known as the “come” command. This is a wonderful addition to any dog training class. To teach him this dog trick, move your dog in a circle so you are in the center and practice “down” in a small area. As he begins to catch up to you, use your left hand to push him down and say “down” in a firm voice. Give him a treat for catching up.
For more distractions, gradually increase the distance from you until you have your dog walking next to a tree, bush, or a large pile of sticks. Once he has learned to heel in this manner, increase the distance between you until you are out in the open. Make sure there are no distractions in the way such as barking dogs or children in the park. Once he has learned this technique, you can teach him other commands such as the stay and the come command.
Dog trainers often use a clicker when teaching their pets to heel. The clicker makes a noise when the dog reaches the end of his walk. Dogs are very responsive to positive reinforcement. When they hear the click, their focus improves, and they start to concentrate better. If distractions are eliminated, he is able to focus on the task at hand, which improves the quality of your walks.