Heelwork on the Lead

By now, you've conditioned your dog to enjoy being in the correct position by your side. The next step is to develop this into reliable heelwork on the lead.

In this lesson, we'll show you how to progress heelwork using a variety of rewards, including food, toys and balls. Every dog is different, so use whatever motivates your dog the most while keeping them engaged and enthusiastic.

As your dog's understanding grows, begin to increase the duration between rewards. Start with just a few steps before rewarding, then gradually build the number of steps over several training sessions. The key is to progress slowly so your dog continues to succeed.

Remember that heelwork is much more than simply walking beside you. Your dog should remain attentive, relaxed and in the correct position, choosing to stay with you rather than being held there by the lead.

Once your dog is working confidently at home or in a familiar environment, begin practising in different locations. Dogs don't automatically transfer their learning, so it's important to proof the exercise in a variety of places and around different distractions. This helps your dog understand that heel means the same thing wherever you are.

If your dog loses focus or drifts out of position, simply make the exercise easier, reward more frequently, and build back up again.

As always, less is more. Short, successful training sessions will produce better heelwork than long sessions where your dog becomes tired or disengaged.