Brandon McMillan’s Guide to Training Dogs of All Sizes to Heel

With dog training, you can control most dog behavior and keep your pooch sharp and responsive. When you teach a dog basic commands, you can strengthen your bond and increase your understanding of one another. While hiring a professional animal trainer or consulting an expert behaviorist isn’t necessary for most dog training, many different factors can influence how a dog responds during training sessions. It’s important for dog owners to incorporate the best tools and techniques to make the most out of adult dog or new puppy training.

Brandon McMillan is a renowned animal trainer who has spent most of his life working with domesticated and wild animals. The Emmy Award-winning host of the critically acclaimed CBS series Lucky Dogs comes from a family of wild animal trainers—Brandon began helping raise tigers by the age of four. The animals he’s trained have appeared in countless television commercials and motion pictures, including the comedy blockbuster, The Hangover (2009). In 2016, the successful dog trainer released his first book, Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days. After spending a year training a service dog for an injured combat veteran, Brandon realized his calling was in training dogs to change people’s lives. To further his goals, Brandon co-founded the Argus Service Dog Foundation, an organization that trains service dogs to assist veterans with disabilities.

Heeling is when a dog walks in a controlled stride directly next to its handler without wandering away or pulling on its leash. Traditionally, heeling means a dog matches its handler's pace and movements exactly, but today the term “heel” is often used interchangeably with "loose leash walking"—a less strict skill where the dog is only required to neither be lag nor pull on its leash while walking.

Teaching your dog the heel command means they will learn to keep pace as they walk side-by-side with you—unlike loose leash walking, which trains your dog to walk without pulling. With this training, your dog learns proper leash manners, and eventually, may even be able to walk alongside you off-leash.

Heeling can keep your dog from getting under your feet, or straying from your walking path. For obedience competitions, the left side is more traditional for teaching heel, however, you can train your dog to walk on whichever side is more comfortable for you.

Teaching a puppy to obey training commands can be tough, but the benefits of the heel command far outweigh the struggles of teaching it. Check out these dog-training tips from successful animal trainer Brandon McMillan:

• Start with the leash drag. If you have a puppy, heel training should start with something simple: the leash drag. Attach a leash to your puppy’s collar and let them drag it around your backyard or some other enclosed space during a short session.
• Drop the leash. During every session, you should pick up the leash and drop it—as sessions go on you’ll pick up the leash for longer periods of time and let them feel some slight resistance. Once they’ve gotten accustomed to walking while attached to a leash, you’re ready to teach them to heel.

Teaching smaller dogs to heel uses a different approach than teaching medium or larger-size dogs. By following these steps from successful animal trainer Brandon McMillan, you can easily teach your small dog to heel:

1. 1. Set up cones. The setup for heel involves small plastic cones (or anything that creates a narrow alleyway), which you’ll use in conjunction with an existing wall to create a pathway for your dog to walk through. Place the small plastic cones about five feet away from an existing wall or fence to create a narrow walking area for you and your dog. This barrier is especially helpful for dogs that tend to walk in a zigzag pattern and can keep them confined to either the left-hand side or right-hand side of your body, increasing your control. Pro tip: Attach some string between the cones to keep your dog from easily dashing through the gaps.
2. 2. Use a lure stick. Instead of keeping a treat in your hand, you’ll want to employ a lure stick. This will allow you to keep your dog’s focus on the treat without having to bend down to their height. It’s also advisable to use a harness instead of a collar and to make any leash corrections from your wrist, not your arm. This will spare your dog any whiplash.
3. 3. Focus your dog’s attention. Get your dog to focus on the lure stick. Keep it about six inches away from their head. When your dog lunges for the treat, quickly pull it away. Place it back within their reach and repeat the process until they no longer lunge. Once they stop lunging and are walking smoothly with you, reward them. Once your dog is able to stay focused on the treat without lunging, you’re ready to train them to heel.
4. 4. Train your dog to walk with you. Get your dog’s attention with the lure stick and keep them at your side. Take one step forward while saying “heel.” Use your training treats immediately as they step forward with you. If they lunge or jump for the treat, close your hand and tell them “no,” so your dog knows this is not good behavior. (Using a verbal command with a hand signal is more effective than using either one alone at first.) It’s very common for dogs to lunge for the treat initially, so a little patience goes a long way.
5. 5. Increase the distance. Once your dog can manage one step forward, take two steps forward at a time, continuing to say “heel” and offering treats. Make sure to use positive reinforcement when they do well—and do it while your dog is walking with you—don’t stop walking to treat them.
6. 6. Switch it up. Once your dog has the fundamentals down, begin walking at different speeds, making turns, stopping and starting, etc. Continue to say the command and pay with dog treats. As your dog progresses, you can move the cones farther and farther away from the wall, widening their walkway. Eventually, you can remove the cones altogether.
7. 7. Modify the lure. As your dog progresses, shorten the lure stick. Eventually, you’ll be able to lose it altogether, and your best friend will maintain the heel position even without an incentive.

The way that you train a dog to heel will largely depend on the size of the dog. Check out successful dog trainer Brandon McMillan’s step-by-step guide for teaching medium and large-size dogs to heel:

1. 1. Set up cones. The setup for heel involves small plastic cones (or anything that creates a narrow alleyway), which you’ll use in conjunction with an existing wall to create a pathway for your dog to walk through. Place the small plastic cones about five feet away from an existing wall or fence to create a narrow walking area for you and your dog. This barrier is especially helpful for dogs that tend to walk in a zigzag pattern and can keep them confined to either the left-hand side or right-hand side of your body, increasing your control. Pro tip: Attach some string between the cones to keep your dog from easily dashing through the gaps.
2. 2. Use the right leash grip. Ensure your dog’s collar is in the correct position—sitting high on their neck, just under their jaw, and right behind their ears. This grip will give you greater control. Create your J leash with your hand at the height it would naturally fall when dog walking.
3. 3. Focus and treat. Get your dog’s attention with a treat and keep them at your side. Take one step forward while saying “heel.” Use your training treats immediately as they step forward with you. If they lunge or jump for the treat, close your hand and tell them “no,” so your dog knows this is not good behavior (using a verbal command with a hand signal is more effective than using either one alone at first). It’s very common for dogs to do this initially, so a little patience goes a long way.
4. 4. Increase the distance. Once your dog can manage one step forward, take two steps forward at a time, continuing to say “heel” and offering treats. Make sure to use positive reinforcement when they do well—and do it while your dog is walking with you—don’t stop walking to treat them.
5. 5. Switch it up. Once your dog has the fundamentals down, begin walking at different speeds, making turns, stopping and starting, etc. Continue to say the command and pay with dog treats. As your dog progresses, you can move the cones farther and farther away from the wall, widening their walkway. Eventually, you can remove the cones altogether.
6. 6. Wean them off the treats. With enough conditioning, you won’t need treats to keep your dog at your side. Once they’re advanced enough, you can even remove their leash.

Your dream of having a dog who understands words like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and—crucially—”no” is just a MasterClass Annual Membership away. The only things you’ll need to train up a well-behaved pup are your laptop, a big bag of treats, and our exclusive instructional videos from superstar animal trainer Brandon McMillan.