Teaching Heel

Heel can be one of the more difficult behaviors to teach to your dog. Fanny Gott has a unique technique where she starts out walking backward and having the dog follow her. She states that it is easier to watch the dog and reward. I was a bit skeptical that it would be easy to turn the other way and get the dog to follow you. It works in one session we walked backwards for a little while and then when I began to walk forward she seemed to pay close attention to me. When I tried to teach it just walking forward she would pay attention for a few seconds and then rush forward. I would have to stop and then she would pay attention again. We were getting a yo-yo effect instead of getting the constant attention. At the end of the session we attached the leash. At first it threw her off and then she picked it right back up.