# How long did it take your dog to learn to heel?



## squirmyworm (Jan 7, 2008)

I know that heeling and loose lead walking are very difficult for dogs to learn, but even keeping that in mind, I've been getting a bit frustrated lately. Mesquite picks everything up so well except heeling, it's starting to drive me nuts! I know she'll get it eventually, and she's much better now than when she first came home. But for now, help me out - I need some encouragement! How long did it take your dog to learn "heel?"


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## blunder (Sep 2, 2008)

Only takes 5 minuets to show them walking on a loose lead, takes about a month of repetition to get them to remember it.


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

We're still working on it. I know I completely confused her when we first brought her home... we did everything wrong. She's now walking loose-leashed MOST of the time, and knows what heel means in MOST situations (at agility, in the house, and when we cross at intersections) and she'll voluntarily heel at random points on our walks (which I ackgnowledge and reinforce) but if she sees another dog, it all goes out the window.

We're working on it!


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

For me, the trick was getting heel down consistently. Dakota didn't really have a problem picking up what I wanted and doing it for shot periods of time - but it took a bit longer to get a reliable 'heel' out of her in any situation.

One thing I suggest (if you haven't started already) is lots and LOTS of practice. Dakota and I were constantly outside striding up and down the sidewalk practicing the art of walking side by side. It just takes a ton of practice, but she'll get it! And once things do click you'll fly through the process of reliable heeling and you can start practicing it elsewhere in more distractive areas. 

Good luck!


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## squirmyworm (Jan 7, 2008)

Dakota Spirit said:


> For me, the trick was getting heel down consistently. Dakota didn't really have a problem picking up what I wanted and doing it for shot periods of time - but it took a bit longer to get a reliable 'heel' out of her in any situation.
> 
> One thing I suggest (if you haven't started already) is lots and LOTS of practice.


It's true; I think she knows that "heel" means "dog's head by my left knee." But I don't think she yet understands that it also means "and STAY there, even while we're moving." If there are any distractions, of course, the concept of "heel" flies out of her head. 

She's responding to clicker training very well, even outside. So I've been taking her out to very distracting places every day and working on her ability to ignore distractions, as well as her heeling. I'll just keep chipping away at it, I guess. And keep you all updated, of course. 

Thanks for your replies, everyone. I feel better now.  I did think of one more question that may help me: did you train loose leash walking before heeling, vice versa, or simultaneously?


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

Apollo has the idea of Heeling, but since he is a puppy and has the extreame need to wander (Husky...) he sometimes speeds up or down, but when at full speed he runs beside me without problem.
As said.. it doesn't take that much time to teach a dog to Heel, Apollo learned the first day i walked him outside of my home, but reinforcement is a need!


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

squirmyworm said:


> Thanks for your replies, everyone. I feel better now.  I did think of one more question that may help me: did you train loose leash walking before heeling, vice versa, or simultaneously?


I did it a bit simultaneously. As Dakota picked up the heel better and better I would loosen the leash up, allowing more slack to sag between us. It was much easier for me this way rather then trying to think of a technique to encourage the loose leashed stuff without using heel.


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

The vague idea? Maybe a week of rewarding constantly for being in heel position. A finished, reliable behavior (ready for competition) with good duration and proofing? I don't know, but probably upwards of 6 months.


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## Line-of-Fire (Aug 2, 2008)

I agree with Dogstar. Upwards of 6 months to a year for competition. i'm going to work with Paul for over that before with enter a CD class. But that's beside the point.

I hate to say it, but try a prong. They're great training tools when used properly. Phenomenal. I'm sure you'll hear "try a prong" from me lots in this forum lol,but they work! I wouldn't give cookies while walking and moving though. If you do that, the dog will constantly look up and you and posibly stop and want a cookie. It's bothersome. Always always praise you're dog while you're walking. even if it's just "Good dog" or "good heel"

Just teach the heel first, but loosen it up if she gets it; even if it's in the same session. If she walks in heel nicely for a long period of time, loosen the leash. If she pulls, put her back in heel.


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## squirmyworm (Jan 7, 2008)

Line-of-Fire said:


> I wouldn't give cookies while walking and moving though. If you do that, the dog will constantly look up and you and posibly stop and want a cookie. It's bothersome.


Couldn't you phase treats out, like you do for other behaviors? I'm assuming that you don't keep your dog on the prong forever; how do you phase the prong out?


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## Squeeker (Dec 15, 2007)

> I did think of one more question that may help me: did you train loose leash walking before heeling, vice versa, or simultaneously?



Simultaneously for us. It is just impossible for Libby to get the exercise she needs and expect her to be in heel the whole time. I'm happy as long as she heels when I ask her to, and doesn't pull on the leash the rest of the time!


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## allison (Jun 26, 2008)

Squeeker said:


> We're still working on it. I know I completely confused her when we first brought her home... we did everything wrong. She's now walking loose-leashed MOST of the time, and knows what heel means in MOST situations (at agility, in the house, and when we cross at intersections) and she'll voluntarily heel at random points on our walks (which I ackgnowledge and reinforce) but if she sees another dog, it all goes out the window.
> 
> We're working on it!


I know how you feel! We've been working on loose leash walking and heeling too. For me, and I know everyone is different, I need Ozzy to get the concept of loose leash walking before heel. He pulls if there is even the slightest distraction: other dogs, people, a plant that smells good lol... 

I started a new thing today actually... I brought a can of pennies out on the walk with me. I want him to know that if his collar gets tight, that is not a good thing. So when he pulled, I would shake the can once with an, "eh eh!" and bring him back to me and then praise when he is next to me. By the end of the walk, I wouldn't say he was in heel postion, but he was walking nicely!


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## blackrose (Oct 7, 2006)

> I wouldn't give cookies while walking and moving though. If you do that, the dog will constantly look up and you and posibly stop and want a cookie. It's bothersome.


 I trained Blackie to heel by using lures and I never once had a probem with him stopping because he wanted the cookie. 

But yes, phasing out the lure is a must, just like with any other training. 

As for how long it took....Blackie will heel under almost any circumstance: distractions, change of pace, turns, etc. It took me about, eh, a month or two. Course, when I started teaching him to heel he was a nice, sedate, older dog (eight years), so that was very helpful!  He also heels off leash. 

Rose is so-so with heeling. She gets the basic concept, but she is in know why neat about it. As a matter of fact I haven't really had her heel in a long while so she probably doesn't even remember how to. But it took her the better part of four months to get the concept down, and she STILL doesn't understand the automatic sit. 

Chloe will heel for short bursts in our training sessions, but I haven't tried to incorporate it into daily walks yet. The first couple of times I worked with her she did NOT get it. Then suddenly it just clicked and she'll heel even with me chaning pace. Haven't tried changing direction yet. I still use a lure most of the time, but I'm fading that out. I just make it a big game for her and she knows if she heels for a while she'll get to run around like a nutso if she does a good job. I'd heel a little bit, release her, then start running around like a maniac with her chasing me. I'll abruptly change direction and take off the other way and she has to continue to chase me/read my movements or she'll get closelined. LOL She has a BLAST, learns to watch me, and has her heeling reinforced all at the same time. 
It took me about a 4 training sessions to get the concept to click with her. Now we are just fine tuning it.


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## squirmyworm (Jan 7, 2008)

blackrose said:


> I trained Blackie to heel by using lures and I never once had a probem with him stopping because he wanted the cookie.


From what I've learned about positive reinforcement training, if the dog stopped without being cued, you wouldn't give a cookie. Then the dog would eventually learn that stopping w/o cue = no cookie, heeling and stopping with cue = cookies. Having cookies is better than not having cookies, so the dog would learn to only stop when asked.

For Mesquite, I think I'm going to take it back a few steps and really focus on making heeling a fun job for her, using treats, toys, and games. The methods that I've been using were the ones taught to me at obedience class, and they're mostly coercive. She doesn't seem to respond well to these methods, and they're not very fun


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## Dogstar (May 11, 2007)

Actually, I think that giving cookies in motion is absolutely necessary if you're going to lure a heel. You just need to properly fade it out, and part of that variable reinforcement schedule is that the dog doesn't know WHEN the reward is coming. If you only reward on the halts, you get too predictable.


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## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

squirmyworm said:


> It's true; I think she knows that "heel" means "dog's head by my left knee." But I don't think she yet understands that it also means "and STAY there, even while we're moving." If there are any distractions, of course, the concept of "heel" flies out of her head.
> 
> She's responding to clicker training very well, even outside. So I've been taking her out to very distracting places every day and working on her ability to ignore distractions, as well as her heeling. I'll just keep chipping away at it, I guess. And keep you all updated, of course.
> 
> Thanks for your replies, everyone. I feel better now.  I did think of one more question that may help me: did you train loose leash walking before heeling, vice versa, or simultaneously?


Cherokee has the same issue. He is really good at loose leash walking. He knows heel means come up and walk right next to me but, once I have treated him, I need to keep reminding him. His mind wanders and he starts drifting off, even if I have a treat in my hand. We keep at it......


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## Billiie (Jan 16, 2008)

Owen is good at his heal and walking loosh leash, but it took time.. but with his nature, it was easier.

With Dugan.. we are still working on it! I have been teaching him "walk nice" for months now.. and he is pretty good, but he still needs corrections.. but once I do give him one, he comes right back to my side. Again, Dugan's nature is totally different than Owen's.. he is much more high strung.. while Owen is calm and easy-going in. Dugan's a firecracker who will always need a lot more training than Owen.


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## Love's_Sophie (Sep 23, 2007)

How long heel or loose lead walking depends on your dog's nature, and willingness to learn, as well as your consistancy in training  It doesn't matter what the method, or whether you use treats, etc...it is consistancy that is the huge payoff.


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## harrise (Jan 9, 2008)

For a heel I would rate 7.5 out of ten, it took each dog about 3 weeks. To teach all five together at once took nearly eight months, and that's to the point I would rate a 7.


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## squirmyworm (Jan 7, 2008)

harrise said:


> For a heel I would rate 7.5 out of ten, it took each dog about 3 weeks. To teach all five together at once took nearly eight months, and that's to the point I would rate a 7.


Five... 

I would FAIL.


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