How to Train Your Pet to Love Grooming and Nail Trims

You finally mustered the nerve to carry out the task you’ve been dreading all week—a must because you’re having guests and you want your pet to look their best! Brush in one hand, nail clippers in the other, you begin your hunt throughout the house. “Over here!” shouts your spouse. The two of you conspire to hold the struggling pup down to give a toenail trim and groom their mats out but after just seconds you both give up.

Many pet parents are afraid or unable to trim their dog or cat’s nails and some are even unable to brush their pets. You might think it’s not a big deal; however, these are essential pet care tasks that may need to be performed on a regular basis. Untrimmed or worn nails can snag on objects and tear as well as cause abnormal walking gait. They can even grow so long that they curve around back into the foot causing lameness and pain. Long nails can also cause damage to furniture and can scratch humans who are playing with their long-nailed pets. Brushing is also essential in pets with long-hair or thick coats in order to prevent matting, help decrease shedding, and prevent associated skin problems.

Getting Started

In order to teach your dog to accept grooming, you are going to need a few basic supplies. You should have a toothbrush and toothpaste specially designed for dogs, which are generally available at your vet or local pet store. A brush and dog nail clipper or Dremel will also be vital for training as well as essential grooming tools you should keep at home for in between-groomer-visits doggy maintenance. Finally, a selection of treats will come in handy for teaching your dog to associate pawsitive and happy experiences with grooming.

Training pets to be ok with being brushed

Step 1- Introduce the brush

Brushing is a vital part of your dog’s health. Brushing your dog’s coat stimulates growth, eliminates loose fur, and distributes natural oils to help with overall coat health and appearance. To begin teaching your dog to like being brushed, first let them inspect the comb, brush or other grooming tool. Be sure to treat and praise your dog for sniffing and ignoring or otherwise being indifferent to the presence of the brush.

Step 2- Touch with the brush

Once your dog is used to the brush, touch them gently on their body with the brush. Remember to treat and praise after for good associations with the grooming tool.

Step 3- Brush your dog

Once your dog is used to being touched with the brush, start performing gentle stroking motions over their coat. Keep the grooming sessions short, as you are still in the acclimation phase and aren’t actually looking to clean or style your pup at this time. Give plenty of treats to your dog while brushing.

Step 4- Add in other tools

Once your dog has learned to accept being brushed, it’s time to work in other tools. Shower heads, blow dryers, combs and clippers are all common items used by groomers. Acclimate your dog to one item at a time using steps 1-4 above and your pooch will learn to love grooming in no time.

Training pets to be ok with having their nails trimmed

Step 1- Handling the feet

Dogs naturally have an aversion to having their paws handled. You’ll need to slowly acclimate your dog to having their paws, pads, and nails touched in order to teach them to allow their nails to be clipped. Start out with a selection of treats nearby and with your dog in a relaxed position, preferably lying down. Spend some time briefly touching and lightly squeezing the paws, always followed by a treat.

Step 2- Touching and squeezing the nails

After your dog is used to having their paws handled generally, move to the more sensitive nails. Start by touching the nail for just a moment and then praising and treating your dog. Slowly work up to squeezing your dog’s nail gently to imitate the pressure applied by clippers or a file.

Step 3- Introducing tools

Once your dog is used to your hands touching their nails, you will need to introduce your cutting apparatus. Depending on the size of your dog, you may choose to use a file, clippers or an electronic Dremel. Touch your nail trimmer to your dog’s nail briefly and then treat and praise. Repeat until your dog is not concerned with the trimmer being near or touching them.

Step 4- Begin filing and clipping

Start off filing or clipping briefly, one nail at a time instead of the entire foot. After the first trim, praise and treat your dog. If Fido becomes agitated, you may need to repeat earlier steps, getting your dog used to the trimmer touching their nail.

Step 5- Practice and repeat

Slowly work your way up to two, three and then all the nails. Be sure to work evenly on your dog’s front and back feet, both for practice and in trimming. Nail trimming is an important grooming chore on your dog and an essential behavior for training your dog to allow grooming.

Training pets to be ok with having their teeth brushed

Step 1- The touch

Teaching your dog to accept inspection, brushing and other manipulation of the mouth is vital for good oral hygiene. Start out in a familiar and neutral area of the house. Wait until your dog is calm and relaxed and then touch their muzzle gently and briefly. Immediately treat and praise.

Step 2- Lift the lip

After your dog has become used to you touching their muzzle, progress to lifting a lip briefly. After you’ve released the lip, quickly treat and praise to create a strong association with food items and your manipulation of their mouth.

Step 3- Increase duration

Once your dog is accepting regular lifting of the lip, increase the amount of time you touch and hold onto their lip. Hold their lip up and inspect their teeth. When you release, immediately treat and praise.

Step 4- Add the brush

Repeat steps 1-3, adding in a tooth brush instead of your hand or finger. Your dog may be curious about the brush at first. It will be important to only treat and praise when they ignore the implement instead of trying to chew or lick it.

Step 5- Let's get brushing

After your dog is acclimated to the feel of the brush, it’s time to clean their teeth. Start by touching the brush to the teeth and then work your way up to a gentle scrubbing motion. Before you know it, your pooch will be ready to show off those pearly whites to the professionals.

---

Hear From Us Again

Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.

Related Categories:

dog health

How to Teach a Rescue Dog to Love Again

Imagine you’re a dog that has been surrendered, and upon waking up, only to find that everything in your world is different. Around you, others are screaming and crying. Now imagine you’re a stray, found on the streets never knowing where your next meal may be or maybe you spent most of your days chained up and unloved. On good days, a stranger comes to visit and take you for a walk. The rest of the time, there is nothing to do but sleep and wait. Then, it all changes again. A new family. A new home. All new smells. It’s no wonder that bonding with rescue dogs is a slow, tedious process that requires patience.

The First Steps to Bonding With a Rescue Dog

Dogs are trusting by nature but that trust has limits. The more a dog is subject to abandonment, the more anxiety-ridden they’re likely to be. While we may not always know the specific circumstances that led a dog to feel unsafe in the world, rebuilding trust is possible.

Give your new dog space

One of the larger mistakes people make with fearful dogs is paying them too much attention too quickly. For most dogs with severe anxiety or trust issues, you are part of the landscape of scary stuff they’ve been thrust into.

The absolute best thing you can do for an emotionally fragile dog is to give them space. Bonding with a rescue dog is all about going slow. Don’t force your dog to sit with you on the couch or sleep with you in the bed. Do offer them a comfortable alternative (like a dog bed) that is theirs alone, somewhere within eyesight but just out of reach.

Let your dog guide your interactions

Instead of approaching your dog to give them attention, let your dog come to you when they’re feeling comfortable.

A few other tips for bonding with a rescue dog at a pace they can handle:

• Stay away from petting sensitive areas like their head, ears, tail, and paws.

• Choose to pet areas like your dog’s side or back.

• Never hover, bend over your dog or attempt to hug them close to your body. These actions can make a frightened dog feel trapped and lead to increased anxiety and even a bite.

• Never allow someone unfamiliar to approach and pet your dog unless your dog is soliciting attention from them.

Try classical conditioning

If your pet is skittish when you move around, classical conditioning and desensitization techniques can help your pet feel more secure about being in your presence. Your objective is to merely deliver an amazing, delicious treat.

Here’s how to do it:

1. With a chunk of high-value food (chicken, cheese, hot dogs, etc.) or a yummy chew like a pig’s ear or bully stick, walk towards your dog.

2. Drop the object close by, then continue walking away.

3. You can speak to your dog in pleasing, soothing tones, but don’t stop to pet them.

4. Repeat this daily (or multiple times a day) until you see your dog start to perk up a bit when you approach.

5. Next time you drop the food, instead of walking away, hang out nearby.

6. You can talk to your dog in soothing tones but don’t interfere with your dog’s eating. (NEVER take away a food object from a fearful dog.)

7. Repeat until your dog is able to comfortably eat their treat with you nearby.

Over time, and with repetition, your dog learns that being near you is a positive experience, and they’ll start to relax. A calm dog is more open to bonding with you.

Avoid hand-delivered treats in the beginning

Sure, bonding with a rescue dog involves treats—but it’s unwise to make a fearful dog take food from your hand. Some dogs may be willing to get closer than they’re comfortable with in order to get high-value food, but by pushing them beyond their stress threshold, they’re unlikely to make long-term improvements.

Here’s how to work your way toward hand-fed treats:

• Instead of giving your dog a treat from your hand, toss it a few feet away from you.

• Repeat regularly until your dog is comfortable within a few feet of you and is happy to hang out there.

• Decrease the distance you throw the treat.

• Watch your dog’s body language to see if they’re able to take the treat from the new location while remaining relaxed. If so, repeat until they’re regularly approaching without signs of anxiety.

• Continue to shorten the distance slowly until, eventually, you offer the treat from your hand.

• If your dog darts in to grab the treat then darts away, you will know you are pushing them too fast.

Limit scary experiences on walks

To help a dog feel safe and confident in the world, they shouldn’t be placed in frightening situations. Remember that scary is relative. You may not think a rumbling truck or a busy street is scary, but your dog might.

To give your dog the best chance of building confidence outdoors, begin by walking them in the quietest place you can think of, preferably away from roads. Gradually over time (weeks or months, not days) shift your walks to busier and noisier locations. For example, your next location could be a quiet residential street.

Be sure to walk armed with plenty of high-value treats, which you can give your dog immediately after anything loud or unexpected happens. For example, if a skateboarder zooms by, immediately pull out a handful of treats and deliver them to your dog’s mouth one after another until your hand is empty. If your dog is uncomfortable taking treats from your hand, drop the handful on the ground beneath them.

Use games to build confidence

Bonding with a rescue dog that doesn’t trust the world requires confidence building. Games are a great way to start.

If your dog is uncomfortable being approached or eating food from your hand, try some extremely simple shaping exercises. Shaping is like a game of hot-and-cold where your dog is rewarded for moving closer to the goal.

How to play a shaping game

• Decide what you want your dog to do. Stick to easy tasks like walking to the dog bed or touching a toy with their nose or paw.

• Throw your dog a treat each time they look at the destination you’ve chosen for them.

• Next, throw them a treat for shifting or inching closer to it. If your dog moves away, don’t reward.

• Finally, when they accomplish the goal, jackpot them by throwing a handful of treats.

Practice your training exercises in short bursts of a few minutes at a time and make sure your dog is successful. If they’re struggling with a cue, they may not be ready for it. Be patient and always end on a win.

Help them make other dog friends

When you’re dealing with a dog with trust issues, it can be easy to forget that they’re still a dog. Many dogs that don’t trust humans are comfortable with their own kind.

Give your pup the opportunity to socialize with other dogs to help relieve stress and build their confidence in different environments. Busy enclosed dog parks aren’t always the best option for a fearful dog, as they can be noisy, chaotic, and overwhelming.

For best results, create opportunities where they can interact with one or two pets at a time, or where they have enough space to encounter other dogs without feeling pressured to interact, like a dog-friendly recreation area.

---

Hear From Us Again

Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.

Related Categories:

dog health, client care

4 Ways to Involve Kids in Dog Training

When a new dog is introduced to the family, kids are often eager to help out. The easiest way to involve your children is by including them in the everyday responsibilities of owning a dog. Dogs need to be fed, groomed, and exercised—these are all tasks that children, especially elementary-age kids, can be involved in. Children of all ages can participate in dog training as long as the tasks are age-appropriate and there is adult supervision.

Learn the Basic Commands

The full responsibility of dog training should still remain with the adults, but that's no reason to leave your child completely out of the process. Your child doesn't have to be involved in the complicated aspects of training to bond with the dog. Basic skills such as getting a dog to sit, stay down, come to you when called, and walk on a leash are easily taught with adult supervision. These simple tasks can help your child feel that they are an important contributor. One tip: Use a food treat as an incentive to guide your dog into position when teaching your kid these skills.

Training a dog to sit

To teach a dog to sit, parents should show their child how to hold a treat just above the dog's nose, moving it back over the dog's head slowly. To follow the food, the dog will rock back into a sit. As soon as the dog sits, say 'Good dog!' and give them the treat.

Training a dog to walk on a leash

To teach a child how to walk a dog on a leash, hold a treat or the dog's favorite toy about waist high. Then tell the dog "Let's go," and start walking. The dog will watch the treat or toy and then follow it.

Training a dog to lay down

To teach a dog to stay down by holding food in front of the dog's nose, drop the hand to the ground so the dog follows the food and drops into a down position. As soon as the dog lies down, give the dog the treat and say "Good dog!"

Older kids can also help out with advanced training at home once they've learned the basics. Training is a great way to build a relationship between kids and dogs. Children will learn how to communicate clearly with the family dog, and the dog learns to respond to cues from the kids too—not just the adults.

Consider programs and classes

If your child is old enough, they can also take part in more advanced training. Classes through the national youth-development organization 4-H promote leadership in chapters across the country, and most chapters provide dog-care and dog-training programs. Children from elementary school to high school can take part in 4-H. If you're interested in getting your child involved in competition classes, the AKC offers a number of beginner and advanced dog-training programs through AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen.

Get Involved in Everyday Care

Once your dog responds well to basic sit and stay commands, involve your child in the feeding process. Have your child cue the dog to sit and stay while you put down a bowl of food or water, and then cue the dog to go to it. Model correct ways to treat the dog, and explain treatment rules before the pet enters the home. If there are any problems, such as the dog nipping when the child is giving food or when the child is helping with other tasks, tell them not to respond angrily or to hurt the dog. Instead, have them report the dog's behavior to you right away. When your child interacts appropriately with the dog, reinforce that behavior by saying "You are petting/feeding/etc. her/him so gently/well, I am so proud of you." By teaching your child basic everyday-care tasks, you will also teach them important rules such as, "Always be kind to the dog, don't take their food, don't take a toy when they are playing with it, don't ever tease them" and so on.

Try Variations of Simple Activities

Include your kid in fun, common bonding activities that double as training for your pet. A simple game of hide-and-seek, for instance, can help strengthen a dog's recall. Start the activity by filling a child's pocket with treats. Avoid using a bowl or bucket because the dog may wolf down everything at once and not want the treats taken away after a single mouthful. Have the child stand in a room that's located in the middle of the house and call the dog. When the dog finds the child, your dog should be cued to sit and then given a treat. Now another child should hide in a different room and call the dog, and so on. Once the dog learns the ropes, the children can hide in more challenging locations, behind doors or tucked in the drapes.

Another activity is to play fetch, which is best played after you've taught a "drop it" command and the dog reliably responds to it. This version of fetch is a two-call retrieve activity that reinforces common commands. Have your child throw a ball for the dog to retrieve; when the dog brings the ball back, ask them to "drop it" while showing a second ball. Then ask the dog to "sit" to reinforce the "drop it" command; after your dog sits, throw the second ball. Once the dog goes to get the second ball, continue the game by picking up the first ball.

Be Part of Exercise Routines

Children can take part in a dog's daily exercise routine to learn about responsible and fun pet ownership. Let your child join in when you take the dog for its daily walk around the neighborhood. Parents should always accompany a child and stick to walking on side streets or in parks. Avoid particularly busy streets so you'll always be in a safe environment. If you're worried about your child controlling the dog by themselves, outfit the dog with two leashes, one that the child can hold and one that you can hold. Young children will not have great stamina so it will probably be a short walk at first. Older children may be able to hold a leash on their own—depending on their size and the dog's size—but there should be strict guidelines and supervision.

Avoid retractable leashes that can be dangerous if your child's fingers get entwined in them and prevent your kids from yanking on a leash. Also, advise them to keep the dog away from other dogs during the walk. Even if your dog is friendly, other dogs may not be, and this is a potentially dangerous situation. Make sure to keep the dog close to your side since a long leash can let the dog get too far away to control. You can also take your child and dog hiking on a pet-friendly nature trail or turn your daily walk around the neighborhood into more of a hike. Start walking the dog a short distance down the street, and then build up to going around the block. If the dog is fit and able to walk distances, older children can begin with a half-mile walk and work up to a quarter-mile and 1 mile. Make sure the weather is suitable for walking your dog longer distances.

Dogs can even swim with kids in the family pool or in a friend's pool. If a pool isn't available, check to see if a local lake or beach allows dogs. Make sure your dog and your child know how to swim, and use a canine life jacket for the dog and safety equipment for children who are not capable swimmers. Other exercise routines can involve throwing a ball or Frisbee. Or try hand targeting, which is something kids can play in the yard, with the dog running from one inviting hand to the next. Kids can stand in a park or backyard and tell the dog to "Touch" while offering the palm of their hands for the dog to touch with its nose. Kids can give the dog a treat for completing this trick successfully, and then another child in the yard can call the dog. Older kids can also work on activities that will stimulate a dog's body and mind. A small obstacle course can be built in the yard so the dog and child can work on agility. Running from one low, safe obstacle to the next will provide both dog and kid with great exercise.

A tired pup is a well-behaved pup! And the same ought to go for the kids, too!

---

Hear From Us Again

Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.

How to Communicate with a Deaf Dog

Do you own a deaf dog? Have you ever had the opportunity to work with a deaf dog?

Different strengths, different senses, different strategies

Although all dogs are acutely aware of body language, deaf dogs are even more keenly observant of body language and gestures.

While training relies on verbal (often not entirely effectual) communication quite frequently, that method obviously does not suffice for a deaf dog. Deaf dogs require families to focus on training in a different way; a way that can certainly be used with all dogs, but is essential for those with hearing loss. But, how do you begin to work with a deaf dog when the default or “go-to” form of communication is verbal?

Owners and trainers “speak” to dogs, teaching them to comprehend intent and meaning. With a deaf dog, the verbal avenue is not an option. Communication needs to focus on the visual sense instead. What is most important is to be careful and deliberate with hand, face, and body movements. Even with this change in emphasis from verbal to visual, if you have trained an animal with an auditory or verbal marker, the shift in training is not all that significant once you get the hang of it.

Bridging the communication gap

Consider a "hand flash" approach with your deaf dog in training. A hand flash is where all fingers start together in a fist, then the fist releases to an open palm hand with all fingers out straight, followed by a return to the original fisted position. Others choose to use a “thumbs up” gesture for a visual marker. As with any marker, we pair the marker with a reinforcer consistently so that it becomes a conditioned reinforcer.

Step one is teaching your dog that this hand flash means good things! Just as a trainer may choose to “load the clicker” a few times in order to create the association that the marker equals something reinforcing, follow the same process with the visual marker. To start, a hand flash is immediately followed by a treat delivered with the other hand. This pattern is repeated a series of times until you are certain your dog has realized that the hand flash communicated that your dog has earned access to something that they found reinforcing.

The next step is to watch for something that your dog did that you like. For example, when they sit, mark that behavior with a visual hand flash marker and then reinforce the behavior. With a deaf dog, one of the most helpful behaviors, and one to work on first, is to mark and reinforce heavily for eye contact.

Attention! Atten-tion!

Getting a deaf dog’s attention is another consideration, as it is not possible to call out to your pup. Fostering a “check-in” behavior is essential. Each and every time that your dog looks at you, you should mark and reinforce this behavior. Sometimes you can get your deaf dog’s attention via vibrations. Tapping or stomping on the floor may create a vibration large enough to attract your dog’s attention. Once your dog looks at you, mark and reinforce that attention. In addition, waving hands or arms at a distance can gain your dog’s interest. Again, once your dog looks in your direction, mark and reinforce that attention.

Another option is if it’s dark or at dusk is to flick the lights off and on to draw your dog’s focus back to you. Some people use a small flashlight, but remember never to shine the light directly into your dog’s eyes. It is not advisable to use a laser pointer. Use the flashlight like a “clicker” or a special signal and turn it on/off quickly to mark a behavior. Remember that every time you mark you will want to follow up with something that your dog finds reinforcing. The marker is like a “promise” of access earned to something reinforcing, so be sure to keep your promise by providing that access after each marker.

Another helpful behavior to train with a deaf dog is a shoulder tap that means “look at me.” Tap your dog on the shoulder and then pop something yummy (just a tiny piece) in their mouth. Repeat this pattern often, and in every room of your home, and then begin to practice outside as well. Your dog will come to understand that the tap equals good things for them, and they will begin to turn back to you anticipating the yummy treat. Continue to practice and “pay” for your dog turning to look at you. Eventually, after many, many, many repetitions, you may be able to replace your food reinforcer with attention and affection. In order to keep the behavior strong once it has been established (once you can rely on your dog turning to look at you when you tap them on the shoulder), continue to surprise your dog from time to time with something delicious as a reward.

When you start to train the shoulder tap, be mindful that deaf dogs often startle. As a deaf dog cannot hear an approach, and sometimes cannot feel the vibrations of someone nearby, the dog may startle when you appear suddenly. Work on associating people approaching with positive things. You may have to hold a tiny bit of yummy food each time you get near your deaf dog. Moving from room to room around your house, let your deaf dog know that you have gone. Walking directly past the dog or offering a light touch on your way out may help your dog feel less anxious since they have seen you leave. Your dog may choose to follow you or stay put; however, the anxiety of not knowing what happened to you has been eliminated.

Visual signals

The next step in training a deaf dog is to build more visual cues for communication. Some people choose to use American Sign Language (ASL) signs and/or single-hand adaptations of the ASL signs. You can also make up your own signals as long as they are distinct and consistent.

The importance of recall

Another vital part of communicating with a deaf dog is teaching a recall. It is ideal to work on longer-distance recalls in fenced areas or with a long leash. However, as with any behavior, you will want to start training in close proximity and in a low-distraction environment. Move away, at first just an inch at a time, and then signal with a visual cue for your dog to come to you. Mark movement toward you and be sure to reinforce as your dog arrives where you are. As with any recall, slowly build distance and eventually build in distractions.

The regular “check-in” behavior that you trained earlier will be important now as you work on recall with a deaf dog. You need your deaf dog to look back at you for instruction. Behaviors that are reinforced are repeated, so be sure that your pup finds coming to you when “called” a highly reinforcing behavior! Remember, just like training a hearing dog, be sure to break any new behavior into small pieces and train in short training sessions with many opportunities to “get it right.”

Expect and handle frustration

Sometimes an owner feels as though the animal understands what is being communicated, but simply chooses not to respond as desired. At other times, the human is frustrated with his/her difficulties communicating the desired outcome to the dog.

These are common frustrations training ANY dog, or ANY animal. However, with a deaf dog these feelings of exasperation may be intensified. Try to remember that even if you believe you have broken down the task into very small, manageable pieces and are communicating very clearly and efficiently, you are, in fact, communicating with a different species.

Because humans are verbally oriented in our information exchanges, communicating in different ways with a deaf dog may be a struggle at first. Any time that you feel overwhelmed, stop, and take a break. Revert back to something very simple, like making eye contact and marking and reinforcing this successful behavior. Celebrate tiny accomplishments; remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Your communication and training with your deaf dog, as with hearing dogs, will be a lifelong endeavor.

Deaf dogs: both students and teachers

Deaf dogs can make great ambassadors for positive reinforcement training. The word, and in the case of deaf dogs the signal or sign, for “no” is not something that is suggested to teach during your valuable training time. Telling an animal “no” does not provide much information. “No” is not a very clear communication tool, as it leaves the situation rather nebulous: “No what?” In its place, it is recommended to work on incompatible behaviors and impulse-control training. In that way, you can offer your dog the choice to make good decisions about what you DO want the dog to do!

Learning is not an upward and linear journey; it is a journey prone to setbacks and confusion. To achieve success with your deaf dog, maintain a positive attitude, take pride in small milestones, and acknowledge that your relationship is becoming stronger. Deaf dogs can teach a great amount about care, compassion, and novel training methods.

---

Hear From Us Again

Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered to your inbox (here). Or, you can keep up to date by liking and following our Facebook page (here).

Related: We have more information under our dog health category.

How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Leash

You’ve just adopted a new puppy or an older dog, and want to learn how to leash train them—one of the first, and most important dog training basics to cover.

What you will need:

• A collar or harness: buckle collar, Martingale, head halter (like the Gentle Leader or Halti), or front-clip harness (Easy-Walk or Freedom No-pull)

• A leash: 4-foot or 6-foot length (not a retractable leash)

• Treats

To start training:

1. Fill your pocket or treat pouch with treats.

2. Decide what side you’d like the dog to walk on, and hold a few treats on that side of your body. For example, if you’d like your dog to walk on the left side, hold treats in your left hand.

3. Hold your leash in the hand opposite the dog. For example, if your dog is on your left, hold the end of the leash in your right hand.  Let the rest of it hang loosely in a “J”.

4. Take a step, then stop.  It’s okay if the dog doesn’t stay in “heel” position. Feed the dog some treats from your hand, in line with the seam of your pants.  This will help you position the dog.

5. Repeat. Take step, stop, feed a treat at your side, along the seam of your pants. 

6. When the dog is looking eagerly up at you for more treats, take two steps instead of one before stopping and feeding the dog.

7. If the dog pulls ahead, stop walking immediately.  Call your dog back to you, or use the treats in your hand to lure the dog back to your side, but don't treat them yet: take two to three steps forward before feeding.  This is to prevent teaching a sequence like: “I pull ahead, I come back, I eat.” We want them to learn that walking alongside you on a loose leash makes treats happen, not pulling.

8. Gradually take more steps between each treat. You can talk to your dog to help keep their attention on you.

9. When the dog walks well on a loose leash, give this kind of walk a name. It could be “heel,” “with me,” “let’s walk,” or another word/phrase of your choice.

10. Release your dog (“all done,” “okay,” “that’ll do,” etc.) when they no longer need to walk in “heel” position.

To teach an “off-duty” walk:

This will be used in relaxed moments when the dog doesn’t need to be in “heel” position. The only rule will be, “You can’t pull forward.”

1. Pick a word to signal this new kind of walk. You might use, “free time,” or “hike,” or “at ease,” or another word of your choice, as long as it is different from your formal walk cue.

2. Decide how much leash to give your dog. If you walk your dog on a 6-foot leash, you might simply hold the loop end and let the rest hang loose. If you hold some of the leash in your hand, plan on doing so throughout the walk, rather than releasing and gathering it several times. This is to teach the dog how much leash will be available to them.

3. Give your dog the cue (“free time”) and start walking. They can sniff, change sides, look around, lie down occasionally; anything but pulling. 

4. If your dog pulls forward, stop moving and call them back toward you before starting again.

5. If your dog fixates on a person, dog or another animal, call your dog’s name and if possible, move in the opposite direction. Getting closer to the distraction will be harder, and will most likely set your dog up to pull.

6. If you’d like your dog to walk in “heel” position (due to an approaching walker, bike, etc.), bring them back to your side and cue them (“heel”). 

---

Hear From Us Again

Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered to your inbox by filling out our form! Or, you can keep up to date by liking and following our Facebook page (here).

Related: We have more information under our dog health tag.