Train a Puppy to Heel - Start Right

When you initially get your puppy you will want to spend a lot of time training it to follow simple commands and exhibit appropriate behavior. This is because in addition to being a cute and cuddly companion in your home, a puppy is also a huge responsibility for the safety of those in close contact with it. For anyone who is attempting to train a puppy to heel, the very first lesson that you will want to aim for is to have the puppy turn around on its back when you give it the command to do so. This is known as the submissive pose, and it is essential to show your puppy this pose from the very beginning before you start trying to teach it anything more complicated.

The reason that this is important is because it is what marks the puppy as a follower and not a leader, and this is the first thing that you want to teach the puppy before you start teaching it anything more complicated or challenging. If you do not show the puppy this pose from the very beginning, you will confuse the puppy when later on you try to teach it to heel or walk on a leash or do any number of other things.

How To Train A Puppy To Heel

The very first thing that you want to do before you start trying to train the puppy to heel is to take it for a walk around your yard. This is something that the puppy is going to do simply to get used to it, and it is important for you to watch out for any signs of anxiety that might occur. When the puppy seems to be overly stressed, take the puppy back to the house and give it a much needed nap. When you are puppy is tranquil, open the door of the house, let it walk outside on it's own and relieving itself. Once the puppy has done its business the puppy needs to be rewarded with a great big "good dog" or even a pat on the head. This is the point of no return and you must keep this a joyous experience for the puppy or else it will never learn how to walk on a leash properly.

One Of The Most Important Tips

When it comes to how to train a puppy to heel, a great big "stay" command is going to be vital. The reason this is so important is because it will stop the puppy from trying to bounce left and right, and it will ensure that the puppy is fully concentrating on you. If you miss this bone, you will find yourself getting very frustrated with the puppy, and it is much better to nail it on the first try. Keep practicing with your puppy and you will eventually know exactly how to train a puppy to heel.

Nobody Knows When You Are Coming Home

If you cannot keep the puppy still enough to repeat the "sit" and "stay" commands, it is advisable to use a long line so that the puppy can still see you on the other side of the house. If you are going to train a puppy to heel, it is important to try and ensure that the puppy doesn't come to look at you when you come home from work, for example. This takes advantage of the fact that the puppy is naturally curious and you can easily train the puppy to not go anywhere near you or your home, which is something that many puppies seem to take the whole event as an opportunity to do.

It is important to realize that when you are training your puppy to heel, you are choosing to take control of the situation. This is not a matter of dominance, but of control, and it is important to make sure that you are the one in control.

If you can ensure that you set yourself up as the one in charge, you will find that the dog will not be nearly so stressed and will be much more willing to focus on the task at hand.

Important Tip:When you want to train a puppy to heel, it is a good idea to get in the habit of saying "heel" to your puppy each time you teach the command, because it will eventually become associated with the action that you want the puppy to take. As the saying goes, put on "a dog's skin".