Guiding Your Dog to Learn the ‘Heel’ Command

If you want to teach your dog how to heel, it’s best to begin training when he or she is still young and playful. Your puppy learns very quickly at this age – take advantage of it by beginning training early!

Your puppy already walks well on a leash and knows basic commands such as “sit” and “down”? Excellent, now add “heel” into his training. Your pup should learn to walk obediently beside you without needing leashes; here’s how you can teach it to him!

Rehearsal on a dog walk

Your four-legged friend can learn the command “heel” best during a dog walk, with training units comprising mostly time and patience. To maximize effectiveness of the sessions, start training toward the end of each walk: when your four-legged pal has had plenty of playtime and done his business, focusing on you may become easier for him. Leash your protege; now decide whether he should heel left or right when given the command!

Command “heel”: Initial training steps

Start off by giving your four-legged friend the order “Sit,” exactly when he or she is walking on your desired side directly next to you and praise him when they obey it well. Now clearly give the command “Heel,” take one or two steps forward without pulling on the leash, taking your first step with the foot where the dog is sitting by taking your first step with that foot as instructed, if all goes according to plan your dog will follow along eventually and once he or she has made two or three steps at your side successfully, bring him back with “Sit.”

Repetition and praise help the dog to learn.

Your dog will quickly understand what you expect of him at “heel” when you repeat this exercise regularly and praise him when he does exactly as instructed. Practice this on every walk – when your animal companion walks obediently alongside you on leash for two steps along your walk, praise will follow; otherwise there will be no reaction at all from you; over time he will understand exactly what is expected of him!

Depthen the Training
Once your dog has learned the fundamentals of walking at heel, increase the number of steps they should walk alongside you. Next, practice off-leash commands. If they do not work and your pet suddenly runs ahead or stops suddenly during training sessions, this may have gone too quickly; reduce their step count accordingly.

What to Do if Your Dog Is Unresponsive to Heel Command

If your pup is having difficulty understanding and responding to your “heel” command, it may be best to start over. Maybe your four-legged pal was too distracted during your walk and was unable to focus properly; therefore, move initial exercise sessions at home or in your garden; start with short lessons first and gradually increase duration when necessary.

if it works as desired at home, take your lessons outdoors; starting on quiet routes that your animal already knows will help avoid distractions and runaways. If your pup tends to bolt every time he’s off his leash, train him accordingly on that information and train together as necessary; otherwise a professional dog trainer might come in handy! If none of this works out for you, professional help may be required in teaching him “heel.”

Watch this video to gain some additional tips from animal trainer Kathrin and Shelly: