Teaching your puppy to heel on leash is beneficial in many ways. It is the
first step in higher discipline and the beginning of a regimen that will earn
your dog the reputation of being well behaved and always welcomed back where
ever you take him. "Heeling", is not just teaching you dog to walk
obediently beside you. It is also teaching him that when he is on the leash, he is to
obey and pay attention to you, and you only. He is to walk past other people,
dogs, sights and sounds without stopping, pulling or lagging behind.
Choose a leash that is size appropriate for your dog, comfortable for your
hand, and has a sturdy easily maneuvered clip. I prefer a light weight nylon
leash, but there are many other styles and types of leashes to pick from in
all price ranges. Shorter leashes are better suited and easier to handle for
training purposes. A well fitting buckle collar will work fine for this
lesson also. If you do chose to use a choke chain or inside spiked chain collar,
please be considerate.
Start off in an area that is familiar to your dog and without distractions.
This way, he is not tempted to want to explore his surroundings and can give
you his undivided attention. Take along a few small treats for reward. Attach
the leash and with your dog standing at your left side say the word... "heel"
and take a few steps forward. At first your dog may want to pull ahead of
you, or lag behind. If he pulls ahead of you, pull back gently on the leash
putting your dog back in the position on your left side with his head about even
with your left leg. Use the "heel" command and take a few steps. Repeat this
until he is able to stay in step with you for five or six steps. Stop while
he is still in the correct position of heel and give a treat and a lot of
praise.
It is fine for your dog to walk a little behind you, but if he lags too far
behind, use the same concept of a gentle tug on the leash to bring him back up
to your left side. Tell him to "heel" and move forward again. Be consistent
with the corrections, and each time your dog walks a short distance in the
correct heel position, stop and give him treats and praise. Slowly increase the
distance as he understands what you are wanting him to do. You should be
able to walk at a comfortable pace with your dog's head at, or slightly behind
your left leg, and the leash slack. Do not let your dog stop and sniff of
things or move out of the heel position to check out other dogs or people. He
should walk when you walk and stop only if you stop. This is now how he should
behave at all times when on the leash with the "heel" command.
Working with your dog on "heeling" for fifteen or twenty minutes everyday
should have him on target in a couple of weeks. When your dog is doing well,
stop three or four times during the lesson to give him a treat and great
praise. If you are still having to correct him very often, hold back on the treats
until he shows more improvement. Some dogs respond quickly and are experts in
no time, while others do not grasp it right away. Just be patient, and most
importantly, be consistent. Working with your dog everyday during the training
period keeps the lesson fresh in his mind until the behavior becomes a habit
and the natural way to act when on the leash.
Also, during training times, it is not necessary to say "no" when your dog
pulls ahead or is lagging too far behind. Just give the leash a gentle tug to
get him back in place and say the "heel" command as you start to walk forward.
This is less confusing to the dog. The word "no" is usually associated with
you reprimanding him on doing something he isn't supposed to. In this case,
he is just learning something new and is misunderstanding, not misbehaving.
Later on you can incorporate more command words into different activities.
Kind of like teaching your dog to multi task. After he has a good grasp on
heeling and can take nice long walks beside you correctly, then, if he veers
off, you use a firm "no" and a gentle pull of the leash to put him back in
check. When you are ready to excuse your dog from the heel position for another
activity while still on the leash, use short command words like "lets play" or
"potty time". This lets him know that he is now free to check out other
things and sniff around for a good place if he needs to go to the bathroom.
When these times are up, use your "heel" command again and finish your walk. It
never hurts, regardless of how well your dog is trained now, to give a treat
and some praises between commands as a reward just for being your well
behaved and terrific best buddy.
As the pack leader, it is your job to keep the pack in order and in line. A
wise pack leader can make the job easier, and is challenged less often by
always being just and merciful. When working with your dog on something new, give
him some time to process the information, and don't punish him for not
understanding. A pack leader that is objective with punishment, and generous with
reward and praise is more trusted than feared. Your dog will respond more
positively and learn new things easier and quicker if he trusts you and is not
afraid of you. In most cases, as a leader, being trusted, rather than feared,
can insure a peaceful mind, with more success and less chance of failure.
Remember, the pack leader runs at the front, with his back fully exposed to the
rest of the pack.
Thank you for your interest in our obedience training classes. We, here at
TakeCareOfYourDog.com are dedicated to our efforts in helping promote the
humane care and treatment of all dogs. I am very grateful to Jeanette, our web
site host, for inviting me to share on this site, some information I have
found useful in my many years of owning, training and loving dogs. I will look
forward to joining you here again next week, and in the meantime, spend some
time with your dog today.
Thanks, Rhonda Erickson _easttxnurse320@aol.com_
(mailto:easttxnurse320@aol.com)
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