Teaching your dog to heel is part of the basic training of every four-legged friend. Training your pet in this area is very useful in various situations, especially difficult and dangerous ones. As a result, it constitutes an essential foundation of safety for the pet, its guardian and the immediate surroundings.
Training your dog to heel walk has numerous benefits. It must be taken into account that each dog is highly sensitive to stimuli from the environment. Focusing attention on the command that calls the pet to your feet effectively distracts it from problematic, crisis situations. Passing other animals, walking on a narrow, crowded sidewalk, being in a crowd, walking along dangerous trails are just selected examples of stressful situations during which this skill may be useful. For obvious reasons, keeping the dog at your feet is an essential pillar of safety. The pet's guardian is responsible for its behavior, health and safety. Mastering the skill of heel walking does not mean keeping your four-legged friend close to you the entire time you walk together. However, it gives the guardian a chance to move around with the pet in a controlled manner. This minimizes the risk of unwanted events and provides both parties with a much more relaxing and hassle-free recreation.
It is best to start teaching your dog to heel in an environment with low levels of stimulation. Your pet will not be distracted and it will be easier for him to focus on training. It is best to initiate exercises at home or in your home garden. Please remember to conduct the training in short sessions (5-10 minutes). During prolonged training sessions, your four-legged friend loses concentration and the training becomes ineffective. To teach your dog to heel, as with any other training, you should prepare your four-legged companion's favorite treats.
Before you start exercising, decide which leg you want your dog to walk on. It seems natural for it to be the right side, which is more comfortable in everyday situations. However, if we want to train professional dog sports with our pet, we should choose the left side, because in cynological sports it is required to call and guide the dog using this leg.
We start the exercise by encouraging the pet to come and stand or sit on the selected side. It is important that its front paws are at the level of our legs. When your four-legged friend takes this position, praise him. Then, hold the treat hidden in your hand near the dog's nose, and then, in a smooth movement, move your closed hand to the level of your own chest - to the side on which the dog should walk at your leg. Then we take 2-3 steps straight ahead. Your furry companion should follow your lead, focusing on the treat. If the client is walking on the correct side of the leg, we stop and give him a treat. Additionally, you can pet him and praise him verbally. During the exercise, we remain calm, composed, and do not show excitement. We also try to prevent the pet from becoming too excited (e.g. jumping).
We repeat this element several times. If your four-legged friend sticks to the chosen leg, we diversify the exercise and include an element of turning out of the way. If the dog is to walk with the right leg, when turning right we speed up a little, and when turning left we walk slower, waiting for the dog. We do this element in a similar way when the dog is to walk on the other leg.
When the dog can walk on the selected side, we add the "leg" command to the exercise. Another signal may be tapping your hand on the thigh of the leg where the dog is supposed to walk. When the dog can walk 20 steps after the given command, we can proceed to the next stage of learning. Otherwise, we repeat the exercise with fewer steps until we reach a distance of 20 steps. After completing the appropriate number of steps, we immediately reward the pet and end the exercise with the command "end". After saying it, we do not pay attention to the dog for a moment, giving him a signal that the game is over after this command.
If, while teaching your dog to walk on your leg, your furry friend jumps up to get to a treat, stop and wait patiently until the dog stands calmly next to you, at the chosen leg. Only then do we continue the exercise.
In the next stage of teaching the dog to heel, we move the training to a more absorbing environment (e.g. a park), increasing the difficulty of the exercises. First, we extend the distance the dog will have to cover while walking at your heel. Additionally, we can start doing this exercise while keeping the dog on a loose leash. Before we increase the number of steps again, remember to repeat each exercise several times and reward with a treat and praise the pet for a correctly completed task.
In this step, we begin to build the first situations that distract the dog and introduce it to a more difficult environment. For example, we can place a favorite toy along the walking route, in a clearly visible place. After seeing her, the dog should continue to walk at your heel. After some time, we begin to vary the walking pace and extend the distance covered, correcting the dog's behavior in public space. We can also use reference points in the environment to reinforce heel-walking, e.g. when walking near the nearest bush, we put our dog on the leg, and after passing a few trees or bushes, we reward him and loosen the leash. We do the same when passing another dog or a children's playground.
If your four-legged friend has trouble concentrating, it is worth taking one or even two steps back in training. We gradually limit the amount of treats in favor of verbal praise or stroking. Throughout all stages of training, we must demonstrate a positive attitude, patience and consistency, and over time we will be able to enjoy the dog's ability to walk at your feet every day.
Separation anxiety describes the state of anxiety a dog feels when left alone by a person to whom it is strongly attached, most often when it has not been properly prepared for such autonomy. Some pets show the first signs of this fear as soon as their owner is getting ready to leave the house. This condition is stressful for both the four-legged companion and its owner. It often happens that a lonely dog causes damage in the house, whines, barks or howls. The good news, however, is that with proper socialization and training, separation anxiety can be prevented or alleviated.
The Catahoula Leopard Dog - also known as the Louisiana Catahoula, Leopard Dog or Catahoula Cur - is an American dog breed that has not yet been recognized by the FCI. The intelligent, energetic, and rare in Europe four-legged friend has been the official state dog of American Louisiana since 1979. The first dog to win this title was Skeeter.
Representatives of the largest dog breeds make a huge impression. They inspire respect and intimidation. Interestingly, large dogs are often much quieter and more gentle than their smaller brethren. Although their enormous size may initially cause embarrassment or even anxiety, proper upbringing makes them good-natured, loyal and affectionate companions.
