Teaching your dog to heel is one of the more convenient and helpful commands there are. It is extremely beneficial to you because it will help you keep control of the dog at all times. Teaching your dog to heel is a simple trick and can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time.

Teaching your dog to heel is not impossible and believe me, it will be one of the best commands your dog ever learns. In fact, once your dog has a firm grasp on this command, a leash will not always be necessary. In fact, a dog who properly heels will always stay at your side, not lunge at people or other pets and will generally not runaway.

First off, depending on your pet’s learning capabilities, you can either start in a place free of distractions or go ahead and begin on the streets or at the park. It is entirely up to you because you know your dog best. You need to begin with the dog in a sitting position. At this time, you will begin walking and say the command, heel. If your dog doesn’t come with you, then try and entice him to move forward by calling his name or clapping your hands. As a quick tip, make sure you use a leash while training in case you need to gain control of the dog for any reason.

Now, perform the above exercise several times a day until the dog gets a hang of the trick. You can start and stop and the start up again. The dog should not be allowed to sniff people, stop to urinate or get into the bushes or shrubs. If you want to train him properly then he must understand that he has to remain at your heel until he is released. Introducing the release command is also vital to teaching your dog to heel.

Remember, practice makes perfect with any training method. This may take a while for your dog to learn, especially if he is very young and easily distracted. But, once he does, your life and his will be much easier. You will not hesitate to take your pup anywhere because you know he will listen to your commands. He will be safer if he learns to heel because it will keep him from running into the street or enticing other dogs. Teaching your dog to heel will be one of the best training techniques that you will ever teach your dog.