How Controlled Walking Progresses To Heeling

STEP THREE - Controlled walking with attention. This will require good attention on the part of the dog. If you have been lazy in working with the attention command , you might want to practice it again. Go back to the attention page and work on better attention.

1) Have the leash "hands free" if at all possible. Loop the leash and put it over your head and shoulder with the hook hanging on your left side or around your waist. You can buy a multi-purpose leash in most larger pet stores, that have strategically placed rings to give you a variety of ways to use the leash.

2) Have a hand full of food treats in your LEFT hand, the clicker in your RIGHT hand, and have the dog sitting on your left side. (If you want your dog to walk on your right side just shift hands and leash)

3) Get your dogs attention and show him the treat. Hold the treat by your waist and take a step or two saying WALK NICE or HEEL. If your dog stays with you, C/T and give lots of praise. If he still pulls ahead go back to STEP TWO and practice some more. Start by trying to get your dog to take two or three steps with you without pulling you along.

4) Gradually increase number of steps by one at a time and work up to 10 steps with dog by your side and NO pulling. C/T and praise when he stays with you without pulling. Once you can take 10 steps, increase to 20 steps, and so on. When you get to this point it is a good idea to vary the number of steps you take before you click and treat so the dog won’t know for sure when you will C/T him. Keep him guessing and make it interesting. For instance: Take 3 steps and C/T, then take 7 steps and C/T, then 5 steps, 9 steps, 2 steps, 6 steps, and so on. This will make the dog work harder for his reward.

STEP FOUR - Practice walking in circles. The "Catch Me Game.

1) Begin with the dog sitting at your side and start walking in a large circle with the dog walking on the inside of the circle. When the dog is on the inside of the circle, he doesn’t have to work as hard to keep up with you as you walk. C/T when he keeps up with you. Treat often.

2) When he keeps up with you all the time on the inside circles, you can turn around and go the other way with the dog on the outside of the circle. He now has to work harder to keep up with you. C/T when he keeps up with you. Treat often. 3) Tighten up your circles, both right and left, to teach the dog to stay closer to you and pay more attention to your movements. Left circles are very good to use when your dog is forging ahead of you instead of staying at your side. Right circles are good to use when you have a dog that lags behind you when you walk.

STEP FIVE - Begin adding Right and Left turns and About turns.

1) By now the dog should be staying with you when you walk. Working in a "square" make right an left turns with your dog, reminding him to "walk nice" as you make the turns so he keeps up with you. C/T and praise when he keeps up with you on the turns.

2) On the about turns (turning to the right to go the opposite direction) be sure to remind the dog to walk nice and encourage him to stay with you. You could have a treat in your hand and let him follow it around with you as you turn. C/T and praise when he makes the turn with you.

STEP SIX - Adding the "Automatic Sit." Your dog is almost Heeling now. Practice makes perfect.

1) When you come to a halt with your dog, have him sit next to you facing in the direction you are walking. C/T and Praise.

2) As you start up again say WALK NICE or HEEL, and begin walking with a treat in your left hand by your waist. Treat and Praise when he stays with you.

3) Use the automatic sit every time you come to a street corner. It is a good habit to have your dog sit at every street crossing even if there are no cars in sight. This habit could save your dog's life some time if he ever gets loose. When he comes to a street he will sit and wait out of habit. He might sit there long enough for you to catch him. I speak from a true experience with a husky I had. Click here to read the Klondyke Story.

Once the dog is staying nicely with you while you are walking and making your turns you can stop using the clicker but continue to Treat and Praise him often for being where you want him to be. ALWAYS.

If your dog is walking nicely at your side and paying attention, you are not very far from teaching him to Heel, if you decided you want to compete in obedience. You can tell if your dog is paying attention to you if you see that he is making turns, circles, and about turns with you without you having to remind him to walk nice. He may not be watching you every minute, but he is paying attention to what you are doing. YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY.

I hope by now that walking your dog has become the highlight of your day. There is nothing like taking a long, peaceful walk with your buddy at your side, especially when he's not pulling you all over the place.

You are now ready to move on to The Recall Command. This is a very important command that could someday save your dogs life, not to mention how nice it is to have a dog that comes to you when you call him.