# Heeling



## Pantera (Feb 18, 2018)

I would like to teach my gsd lola to heel(walk beside me) she is 14 weeks. I have back problems and it hurts when she pulls me. Any suggestions.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

This older thread has some suggestions:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...asic/110911-heel-training-extremely-hard.html

This AKC article is about training a puppy to walk nicely on a leash:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-training/teach-puppy-walk-leash/


This article has tips for humans who have back pain and how to walk their dog or puppy to reduce the discomfort:
Back pain and dog walking. Tips for prevention - Sundial Clinics


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Also, I suggest you try a front ring harness for your puppy which will help to reduce the pulling and you could walk your puppy on a loose leash.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Do you need a formal heel or do you just need her to walk nicely on a loose leash without lagging or pulling? My criteria for a loose leash walk are not as strict as they'd be for a heel (which I don't really need), but I enforce them consistently.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

I like Stonie's training videos


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## Pantera (Feb 18, 2018)

Thank you someone suggested a leash called a halti it looks like you can control with 2 hands and it is a front ring harness.thank you


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## Pantera (Feb 18, 2018)

I was trying to do the training that the gentlemen in the video was doing in the video treats and all turning and rewarding but i made the the mistake of trying to do things outside inn the yard. Birds are out squirells you name it. We moved inside and she is getting it somewhat but sits when i ask her to heel now so... Anyway i dont need a formal heel i just want her close to me and not pulling when walking. I know this is a lot to ask. This is my first gsd. I love her i try to work with her all the time even if its just for a few minutes a day. I also dont know how to reply to just one person.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I started with a prong collar at 6 months. Basically I let my pups have their way, within reason, when they are little because they have short attention spans. When teaching heeling, it is for short distances. Try walking with a friend for more than a block without looking around. Only look at your friend's face and you'll see how hard it is. 

At 6 months I let the pup "self correct" on the prong..basically if they pull it is uncomfortable. If the leash is loose it feels fine. All the tools work basically the same way, it just changes where the discomfort is, under the front legs, on the muzzle or around the neck. You must balance that with making loose leash walking rewarding, with treats, or praise or toys. Switch up rewards. Stop and play games along the walk. Jog a little, we walk to slow for our dogs when we first leave the house. Stop and don't move if they are being obnoxious but don't expect a little pup to really remember much at first...it is a big exciting world out there and they want to see it all. Put on some fun fast paced music and walk to the tempo. If they are in a hurry to go forward and pull like a freight train, turn and go the other way. This doesn't always work because sometimes you just end up going around in circles or you pup says, "sure...we can go the other way too" and starts pulling again. Then stop and remind them that getting way ahead of you isn't going to get them anywhere. 

Be patient. Pulling doesn't truly stop over night. Tools help but you really want your pup to learn to stay close, even on a flat collar and that take time for them to mature and you to learn which technique works best for both of you.


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## razorseal (Apr 26, 2018)

My guy doesn't pull when we walk. He's learned the prong collar and knows to stay right by my leg when we walk. If he's little behind or forward, I just give him a quick correction and he goes where he's supposed to. 

However, I'm not sure how to correlate the "heel" command with that. Where do I give him the command for training purposes, so he knows where to go when I give him the command? Do I stop moving, so he sits next to me and just say heel?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

One thing you can do, if he doesn't know the command yet, is to use it then mark and reward while he is already in the correct position. Telling him to heel when he doesn't know what it means yet is less productive IMO than using the command while he's actually heeling, because that will help him associate the word with the behavior.


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## razorseal (Apr 26, 2018)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> One thing you can do, if he doesn't know the command yet, is to use it then mark and reward while he is already in the correct position. Telling him to heel when he doesn't know what it means yet is less productive IMO than using the command while he's actually heeling, because that will help him associate the word with the behavior.


How much rewarding? When he walks next to me and I bring him into a better position, I just give him a "goood" and leave it at that. same thing for the heel correct? I try not to get him too excited on a walk (whether I'm practicing in the back yard or walking a lap around the community)


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

How old is he, and how long have you been working on teaching this?


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