How to train your dog to walk or heel without a choke chain

Who wouldn’t love a dog that walks calmly beside you, with no tugging and no dragging you down paths you don’t want to go. It’s a dream and goal of most dog owners, but the idea of accomplishing this goal with a choke collar is one that turns off some pet owners. They fear that a tugging dog would deny himself oxygen when it's pulling on the leash and damage fragile windpipes, especially in tiny dogs. The good news is that with just a harness and leash, you can get Fido to walk calmly beside you, just like the good dog you know he is.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Harness
• Leash

1. Fit the harness properly under your dog’s front legs, then across his chest and over the back

2. Start in familiar territory, like the yard.

3. Using either your dog’s favorite treat or toy as bait. It will lure her into following you around and teach her to hold her head high.

4. Use lots of praise, and for each time he follows you correctly, on your left side with his nose at your knee, tell him "Good heel!" which gives him a clue of what you expect from him.

5. Should she look away, call her name, shake the toy or treat, and say "Heel!” Then give her a treat and continue walking.

6. Repeat Steps 2 through 5 for several days until you are both familiar with the routine, then venture outside to a familiar road.

7. Remember be patient and go at your dog’s pace. However don’t allow her to pull at the leash or linger for too long.

8. Be sure to praise and reward him when he follows your instructions with “good heel" so he learns to understand what "heel" means.

9. Keep on the same route until your dog becomes bored with her surroundings and more interested in you.

Tips & Warnings

• Understand that it takes lots of patience. Forcing your dog to heel too early will not help him or you.