How To Teach Your Dog To Heel

Put your dog on a leash, hold the leash in your right hand, and have the dog sit at your left side. Hold about 15 small treats in a bag in your left hand. If you are going to use a clicker, click with your right hand, leaving your left hand free to pop the treats into your dog’s mouth.

Start by getting your dog’s attention. Move forward with your left leg first. As your dog moves with you, click or say “yes,” and pop a treat into his mouth. Take just a few steps at first. If your dog gets ahead of you, stop and call him back to your left side. Mark and treat him when gets back in the correct position.

Once your dog has the idea that walking at your left side is a rewarded behavior, as you start walking, say “heel” once, loudly. When he moves with you, click and treat. Gradually work him up to longer periods of walking in the heel position.

Limit each training session to about 15 minutes, continuing to reward behaviors you want your dog to repeat.

Be patient. While some dogs will pick up heeling in a few tries, others will take longer. Ability to learn depends on breed, age, and experience.

End each lesson by practicing a command he definitely knows. If he hasn’t mastered heeling yet, but can sit or shake hands without a problem, he’ll feel good. And so will you!