Leash pulling can be a natural behavior in many dogs, thanks to the opposition reflex — when dogs feel the instinctive urge to pull against something holding them back, like a leash. That said, there are ways to curb your wannabe sled dog, such as training your dog to heel.
“Heel is a position we teach our dogs to be in when we’re walking. Typically, it’s to our left side and their head should be in line with our hip,” says Ali Smith, professional dog trainer and founder of Rebarkable. Get step-by-step instructions to teach this command below, with expert-approved tips.
A 5-Step Guide to Nailing “Heel”
If you’re ready to start the “heeling” process with your dog, here’s a step-by-step guide.
1. Choose the right environment
Before you dive in, it’s important to choose the right training environment. Smith recommends starting the process in a relaxed place free of distractions. This could be in your house or backyard, or in an outdoor location that your dog feels familiar with, like the park on a quiet afternoon.
2. Gather your equipment
Next, make sure you have all your training equipment ready to go. If you’re practicing at home, you can forgo the harness and leash. But if you want to train in public, Smith suggests a Y-shaped harness, which naturally discourages a dog’s opposition reflex, paired with a simple flat leash.
It’s also a good idea to have positive reinforcement on hand, like a clicker and treats.
3. Enter the lure phase
You’ll start with what Smith calls the “lure” phase. First, stand next to your dog so they’re on your left side. Then, grab a treat and place it close to your pup’s nose. Walk a few steps, encouraging your dog to stay close to your side. If your dog stays with you, give them the treat and click the clicker.
Again, your dog doesn’t need to be on the leash during this step. Just make sure that they stay in the desired “heel” position – with their head in-line with your hip on your left side. Although if you usually walk with your dog on your right side, feel free to switch it up.
4. Add the cue
Next, you can begin adding in the cue. This could be saying “heel” or any other word you want. You can also use a hand signal for the same effect. In fact, Rover’s resident trainer, Nicole Ellis, prefers them.
“Dogs communicate with each other a lot through body language,” explains Ellis. By teaching the hand signal first, you have a solid foundation to add on a verbal cue later. Plus, you can also use the hand signal to communicate with your dog in noisy public areas.
5. Rinse and repeat
Next, all you have to do is repeat the process until your dog understands the command and will follow your desired cue. You can also begin gradually weaning back treats or other rewards until your dog will heel on command like a star!
What’s the Purpose of “Heel”?
The main purpose of heel is to keep your dog close to your side with their attention focused on you instead of their surroundings. That could prove useful if you’re on a busy street or a hiking trail full of distractions. Instead of your dog pulling you along for the ride, you can tell them to “heel,” and they’ll stick close.
What’s the opposite of “heel” – and why is it a problem?
Like we said, some dogs have an inherent “opposition reflex” in response to walking on a leash – and walking your dog is significantly less fun when they’re the ones walking you.
Pulling isn’t the only potential problem behavior dogs could have on walks, though. Constant sniffing, barking, or lunging at strangers could also present a headache if your dog isn’t properly leash-trained.
Should you train your dog to heel, or use another command?
In some cases, you might choose to use another technique to keep your dog relaxed on walks, like “loose leash” walking. With this technique, your dog will walk close to you without any tension in the leash. But they won’t necessarily have their head in line with your hip.
You can also combine both loose-leash walking and heel during walks. For instance, Smith keeps her dog’s loose leash style for most of the walk, while reserving “heel” for certain situations, like passing strangers.
3 Tips for Dogs Struggling to Master Heel
Of course, not every dog will take to the new command right away. In fact, Smith says, it’s expected that your dog won’t heel for a long period of time when they first learn the command. But you can help them get the basics with these troubleshooting tips.
1. Be a tree
If your dog still treats your arm like the tractor in a tractor pull, you can curb this behavior with a technique called “being a tree.”
When your dog pulls, just stand perfectly still, like a tree rooted into the ground. Wait for your dog to either take a step back or for tension on the leash to drop, then you can resume your walk as normal.
2. Slow it down
If your dog doesn’t heel long enough, Smith says it usually means that you’re moving the process too fast.
To remedy the situation, try and slow things down or repeat previous steps. For instance, Ellis only introduces verbal cues once a dog can understand a hand cue and perform the command every time.
3. Be consistent
As with any new command or behavior, consistency is key when teaching your dog to heel. That means both regular training sessions, and letting your dog know when you want them to heel on walks.
Don’t worry if it takes your dog longer than another pup, either. After all, you’re laying the foundation for healthy leash habits that will last a lifetime!