Puppy Training 101: Introduction To Heel Training!

What exactly is “Heel”? The goal of “Heel” training is to teach your puppy to follow alongside the heel of your foot on the side they are walking on. While walking forward or, changing directions you will give the command “Heel” to your puppy to keep them alongside you.

As you begin to introduce “Heel”, choose either the left or right side to have your puppy walking beside you. Depending on which side you selected, hold the leash in your hand on that side and pick up the remaining slack with the other hand. Also, have a treat in the hand that is holding your puppy’s leash and closest to your puppy in order to easily regain their attention or quickly reward them. Consider this: your puppy’s nose will follow the treat in your hand! Keeping your arm straight down and hand next to your side will help you keep your puppy in the right walking position instead of behind or ahead of you.

When you start, slowly take a step forward with the foot that is next to your puppy and say “Heel” as your continue stepping forward. After a couple of steps with the puppy moving alongside you, stop, mark the behavior with “Good” and reward your puppy with food. Continue taking just a few slow steps forward and repeat marking the behavior and rewarding your puppy.

Pro tip: As your puppy is still learning, if others in the family will also be walking the puppy, have them pick the same side to walk the puppy! A consistent walking side will help your puppy learn how to “Heel” and prevent them from potentially getting confused and zig-zagging while walking! Eventually, you can switch it up once your puppy fully understands “Heel”.

Heel with Turnarounds From and To Place

If you read the section header and thought, “wait, I thought Heel was for walking not the place command?” You’re right! But puppies can get pretty energetic especially when learning something fun and new! (You can learn more about “Place” command in our previous blog!)

When first introducing “Heel”, start with your puppy on and going to “Place” gives your puppy something to target and focus that energy instead of potentially zooming around you! This goes especially in the beginning when you are still getting the hang of handling your puppy, having your puppy still on “Place” and walking to a “Place” makes the process much smoother!

With your puppy on their “Place”, stand beside them facing away from the cot on the side you wish to walk your puppy on. Now, say the command “Heel” and take a few steps forward with the foot next to your puppy. In this exercise, keep a treat in your hand and in front of your puppy's nose. This will help keep them in the correct walking position! Once your puppy has walked along with you, say “Good!” and give them the food. Again, take a few steps forward and but now turnaround, while saying “Heel”. Continue to keep the food in the same hand and in front of your puppy’s nose as this will help your puppy maintain focus and turns slowly! Mark the correct behavior with “Good!” and give them the reward. Take a few steps forward and say, “Heel”, “Good!”, and give them food. Finally, take a few more steps and say “Heel”, “Place” add a brief pause, then reward your puppy!

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Heel with Sit