Heel position is when your dog is sitting or standing on your left side in line with your hip facing the same direction as you. Ideally your dog is within 1 foot of your leg. Teaching your dog this position helps make loose leash walking and polite greetings easier for them.
- Start with your dog in front of you with their head facing you (you can lure them into this position).
- Put a treat on your dog’s nose and while taking a step back with your left food lure them along your left side and back behind you. Once your dog is straight back, click, and feed them the treat you used to lure them with.
- Have the treat in your left hand and the clicker in your right hand.
- Repeat step 2 until your dog is able to consistently follow the lure straight back behind you.
- Next with a treat in your left hand lure your dog back and then turn their head and lure them forward. Click when their head is in line with your leg and feed them the treat.
- Your dog does not need to sit to earn the click when back at your leg.
- Repeat step 4 until your dog is able to consistently follow the lure back, turn, and back up to your left leg.
- Next lure your dog to heel position with an empty hand (no treat). Click when your dog is at your left leg and feed.
- Repeat step 6 until your dog is reliably following your empty hand lure.
- Now it is time to add the verbal cue. As we know, to add a cue we give the new cue followed by the old cue. Say the cue “heel” and then offer the empty hand lure. Click and feed.
- Repeat step 8. With repetition your dog will start to anticipate the lure and respond to the verbal cue.
- Fade the lure.