Training your Dog to Walk by Your Side

It happens most of the time when people try to teach their dog to heel by putting them on a leash and correct them physically if they make any mistake. It is always important to teach your dog to heel before train it walks by your side. There are some points where people go wrong:

- Most of the people show minor interest in heeling rather they are more interested in their dog walking by their side or following them.

- If have not given any prior training to your dog to heel and still you think of punishing your dog for what he doesn't know off is fairly an injustice act. Trained dogs must not commit such mistakes for sure. And if they do, it is clearly showing the inadequacy of the trainer. All the dogs behave alike, it a trainer responsibility to train them properly rather than punishing the dog for making mistakes.

- If you find that your dog is not willing to walk with you on leash, try to take him without leash. This may solve the problem. The only thing you need is to understand your pet and their feeling.

It is important to train your dog to heel before train him to walk by your side. It is very important for at times your dog may get furious towards other people and run at them and if he is trained properly to heel, you can easily control him by just commanding at him to heel. Otherwise it would have been difficult for you to control the dog barking and running at other people or animals.

Train a Dog to walk by your side

1. Choose a comfortable area for your dog to start the training session. Overcrowded or streets may distract your pet to focus on the training. Backyard of your home would be a suitable option.

2. Take a 4 to 6 foot leash and fix it to the dog's collar. This length of leash will provide you a good control on your dog. Let your dog sit on your left side. Hold the leash on your right hand with a loose leash, so that your dog realizes the fact that you want to keep a loose leash with him by your side.

3. Start walking and command your dog to come. Now you have to focus on the movement of the dog. If your dog starts to move ahead, gently pull a leash with a heel command and if you see that he is leaving behind, gently tug a leash with a come command.

4. Reinforcement is necessary to encourage your dog. If you find him walking by your side properly, encourage him for his act by patting his head or through verbal gestures.

5. Now take a U-turn so that your dog learns to change direction with you.

6. Repeat the training session for some time and stop walking. Command your dog to sit and reward your dog with a food or any other treat.

7. Repeat the training program until you are sure enough that your dog is now perfectly trained to walk by your side. You can follow the same steps to train your dog with off leash walk.