Teach your puppy to heel when you call them

The first thing that your dog should recognise is their name. The second thing? To come to you immediately when you call them, because there are occasions on which a fast response could avoid dangerous situations for them.

The most important order that you should teach your puppy is to heel when you call them. You should do this both for their safety as for that of others; you need to be sure of what they will do when crossing the road, if a fight with other animals nearby breaks out, or if it is simply necessary to get them away from people who are not pleased by their presence.

1

Choose an order for calling them and repeat it. It should always be the same. It should also be short, simple, and include their name.

2

Don’t stop giving the order even though they may disobey, which is very common behaviour during the early stages of learning.

3

You could accompany the order with a gesture, which you should also repeat every time, such as slapping your thigh.

4

You can frame the learning within a training session. Sessions should be short and, preferably, in the same place. It is ideal to start with a short distance and continue to get further away until you are at a sensible distance.

ATTITUDE DURING WALKS

Remember that you will only take your dog out for a walk off the lead once they have learned to obey the heel order. On your first outings, you can help yourself by using a long lead and allowing them to be a short distance away before giving them the order; if they do not respond, the lead will be useful to stop them escaping. If this was to happen, do not tell them off; teach them again until they learn.

Don’t forget that your dog will always be waiting for what you do and say. If they learn to understand your orders, you will have an easy walk guaranteed.

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