Taking A Dog For A Walk

Have Your Dog Heel On The Left Side

So you plan on taking a dog for a walk but are not sure how to keep it under control? Take note and take heart, it is not as hard as you think it is. If you are looking to have your dog stay under your control while on a walk, there are a few important commands you should master before you ever begin the walk. Do you know what those commands are? They are the sit command (heel also works), and the stay command. A “go potty” or “do your business” command would also come in handy. Remember to pick up the feces off the ground though.

Teaching your dog to sit on command and to heel at your side is a very important of dog ownership. This allows you to have the feeling of security that your dog will perform a command when given. You may never know when the time may come for you to give a serious command and expect it to be carried out. Sow how do you get a dog to heel anyways? There are a few steps you should take but the process is fairly the same no matter where you read it. The steps are as follows.

I personally would have your dog heel on the left side of your. Some may find this side awkward depending on which hand or leg you favor, but left is a good side to use. You can use something like a dog treat to help the process. Try to find a treat that your dog really favors as this will help in attention in focus. Yes, dogs are really easy to work with when you know what you are doing. Have the dog follow alongside you and give it a heel command.

When the dog does in fact heel, make sure to give it praise and a treat. Some people say to only give praise or only a treat, but I say to give both. It will help instill the behavior a lot faster if you can get your dog to see the big picture. What if your dog doesn’t heel on command? You can gently let the dog know what a heel command is. I don’t think any dog in the world would heel properly the first time they hear the word. So, with care, gently set your dog into position while saying the command. When the dog is in position, give it the treat.

Now keep trying this method over and over again until pooch seems to get the idea. When the dog is not listening to you, simply walk away or ignore the dog. In time, pooch will understand that you mean business and it will want to perform for you by getting that treat off of your hands. Take care and remember to keep up the dedication in training. For without dedication, your training days may be futile. Stay focused and in high spirits. -- Dog Training Made Easy