Article Title: Basic Dog Training - The "Heel" Command
Author: Nick Bulka
It never ceases to amaze me how many people I see being pulled
along by their dog while out "walking". What amazes me more is
that most of these people blame their dog for this behavior. If
they only realized that the problem is on the other end of the
leash.
If your dog pulls on the leash, you're kidding yourself if you
think you're the "master". Dogs are smart, and they will take
advantage of a situation if you allow them to.
The worst part of this situation is that it only takes a short
period of time to teach your dog to heel. Since walking with
your dog is something that you'll be doing every day, from the
very beginning, it only makes sense that the "heel" command be
among the first that your dog learns.
When your dog obeys the "heel" command, not only does it make
it easy on your arms while out on walks, it also helps ensure
that Fido is safe and behaved while out in public. It also lets
him know that you're the boss, which is imperative in the
human-canine relationship. And in those instances when a cat or
other small animal runs out in front of you, it allows you to
retain control when your dog wants to follow its instincts to
chase the other animal.
For those unfamiliar with basic dog training, the function of
the "heel" command is to have your canine companion walk
alongside you, rather than in front of you. When a dog heels
correctly, the leash remains slack, and Fido matches your pace,
not vice-versa.
At this point, you're probably saying to yourself "That sounds
great. But I bet it's a hard thing to teach." Actually, it's
pretty straightforward, and like most dog training, it usually
is taught by combining strong positive reinforcement and short
but firm corrections.
Start out by putting your dog on a short leash, and have some
small treats available. With the dog by your side, facing in
the same direction, hold a treat in your hand. Issue the "heel"
command using a firm, yet gentle voice. Proceed to walk forward.
If the dog responds by walking along with you, praise him with
an enthusiastic "Good Boy" (or Girl), and reward him by giving
him the treat. If he doesn't heel, don't try to coax him with
the treat. Consistency is important, and Fido needs to realize
that he'll get his treat when he displays the correct behavior.
Remember to always reward him when the desired action is carried
out. If you're lucky, a few repetitions of this series of
actions will be all that's needed to teach your dog to heel.
With a little patience, this method will work well for many
dogs, and will also help you to form a close bond with your
pet. However, some dogs are a little difficult, and may be a
little harder to train. This does not mean you've got a bad
dog. It just means you'll need to work a little harder to get
the desired response. In this case, you'll need to utilize some
additional, corrective techniques.
As before, call the animal to your side and position him next
to you, again facing the same direction. As you did earlier,
voice the "heel" command, and walk forward. The dog will
probably not walk with you. Instead, he will likely try to go
off on his own. To correct this behavior, apply a firm but
short correction on the leash. Never, never, pull your dog. Let
the collar return to a slack condition.
Repeat the exercise, and if your dog obeys this time, praise
him enthusiatically and reward him with a treat. Fido will
quickly learn that to disobey the "heel" command results in a
period of discomfort, but walking alongside at your pace gets
him a tasty treat and a lot of vocal praise. It may take a few
days, but if you are consistent in your training methodology,
and reward him accordingly, Fido will soon be responding
eagerly to your "heel" commands, and corrections will no longer
be required.
About The Author: Nick Bulka operates a number of pet-related
web sites, including Dog Training Instruction
(http://www.dogtrain
(http://www.pet-
(http://www.cat-
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