Teaching your dog to heel on leash is an important dog training trick that should be learned from the very beginning. Teaching your dog this trick will help prevent many future dog bites and injuries. Most dogs will learn this trick fairly quickly, but some do better than others. There are dog training tricks that can be taught to every dog no matter how old he is, but you must be persistent with your dog training methods in order to get results.
What is a Good Leash Stand? A good leash stand involves a lot of walking and sniffing. However, sometimes you just want your dog to simply walk next to you on a leash without wandering off. An easy walk on a wide sidewalk or on a short side walk is much less stressful if your dog already knows how to heal properly.
What is a Good Leash Pull? This dog training tips begins by teaching your dog how to pull. First, you’ll want to make sure your dog has a strong grip on the leash, then you’ll use the lure. The dog will pull the lure away from you while you take a few steps back. He will eventually give up, after which you can put the lure gently down or release him from the leash.
What is a Good Treat? Now here is where some distractions can really pay off. Sometimes you can’t get your dog to walk beside you while you’re walking with another dog or walking alone at dusk or at night. Sometimes there are too many distractions around and your dog simply doesn’t want to bother you with his excessive barking or whining. So how can you distract your dog without scaring him?
Distractions – Your dog won’t care whether there are other dogs or children running around the block. Your dog will only become concerned when there is a slight movement on the walkway or as soon as he/she sees anything he/she does not like. A good distraction is something your dog is used to seeing and hearing. Some dogs love to run and explore. Other dogs love to play fetch with their favorite toy. A combination of different activities will help distract your dog from the constant pull and pulling while walking.
Treats – You can also use treats as a distraction while teaching your dog how to heel on leash. While he is learning the heel position, offer your dog a treat and he will quickly figure out that this is what he wants to do when you put your hand in front of his nose and say “no.” Then he will not be distracted by the movement of the other dog while learning the heel position.
Physical Distractions – One of the biggest distractions for dogs is walking behind them, constantly pulling them along and causing them to trip, jump or stumble. If there are children in the neighborhood, other dogs, joggers, bikers, etc, can also cause excessive noise and physical strain to your dog while walking. If there is another dog in the family, your dog will probably have to stop and go around them. Try to be creative about these distractions by teaching your dog to heel past them, past their children, past their pets and etc. By doing this, it will make walking a fun and comfortable experience for both you and your dog.
It’s important to keep in mind that any time your dog pulls and tugs on the leash while walking, you should immediately give your dog a reward of some kind. This will reinforce the positive behaviors and send the message to your dog that you are in control. The key here is to do so in a gentle and respectful manner. When walking, be sure not to pull hard on the leash, and instead use your voice and gestures to guide your dog ahead while giving positive feedback.
