Teaching A Puppy How To Sit And Heel, by Lone Duck Outfitters & Kennels on YouTube. 6 min 34 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 34 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a quiet spot with no other people or dogs. Let the puppy sniff around for a minute so it settles before you start.
Hold a treat just above your puppy's nose and move it slowly back over its head. As the nose lifts, the back end drops into a sit.
Say "sit" once as the puppy's rear touches the floor, then give the treat right away. Repeat five to ten times.
Practice the sit with an empty hand and no treat in view. Reward from your pocket after the puppy sits so it learns the word, not the food.
Clip the leash on and stand with the puppy on your left. Keep the leash slack and hold a treat near your left leg.
Step forward and say "heel". If the puppy pulls ahead or drifts, give a quick light pop on the leash and release the pressure at once.
Reward the puppy with a treat and calm praise the moment it walks beside you with a loose leash.
Turn and change direction often so the puppy has to watch you. Keep sessions to five minutes and end while it is still doing well.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the pop light and quick. A hard jerk on a puppy's neck can cause injury and makes the puppy fear the leash.
Train before meals when the puppy is hungry and food rewards work better.
End every session on a success, even if it is only a few seconds of good heeling.
Practice the same words and hand signals every day so the puppy does not get mixed signals.
Questions
How old should a puppy be to start sit and heel training?
You can start simple sit lessons as soon as the puppy comes home, usually around eight weeks. Short, gentle sessions work best for young puppies.
What does pop and release mean?
It means a quick, light tug on the leash to correct the puppy, followed by an immediate release of pressure. The release teaches the puppy that walking beside you is the comfortable choice.
How long should each training session last?
Keep sessions to about five minutes, two or three times a day. Puppies lose focus fast, so short and frequent beats one long session.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
