by Kayla Griffin

Created on: February 13, 2009

Every pet owner knows that being dragged around by your dog is not fun, it can be dangerous and embarrassing. If you have not yet had the opportunity to heel an untrained dog take a moment to consider all the problems this could present. Your dog could cause you to fall and hurt yourself, cause your hand to be sore and cut from their leash, even manage to pull from your grasp which could result in injury or even death.

There is no doubt that training your dog to heel has many benefits not only to you the owner but also to your loyal companion. Studies have shown that a dog who has been trained with obedience commands are less likely to show signs of aggression. When you train your dog you are teaching them to respect you, listen to you and watch you.

Dogs are big people pleaser's! They like to "work" for their people, training your dog gives them the impression they are working for you. It allows you to keep their minds active and their body healthy. One of the greatest bonding opportunities an owner will experience will be training with their dog. It is important to realize that most people who have trouble training their dogs are simply not training them properly and it is not your dog at all. This is good news it means with some work you can still have a well trained companion.

To start you should have a pinch collar (also known as a prong collar) and a six foot leather leash. Before you shudder at the thought of the pinch collar there are some things you should know and understand.. The pinch collar is not as scary as it looks in fact the dog is already familiar with what it does before you introduce it to them. This is because the pinch collar works when the owner gives a downwards jerk on the leash attached to in, this then pinches the skin around your dogs neck. Your dog remembers this feeling and knows that he/she has done something wrong. This is because from the time your dog was a young puppy it's mother would nip the skin around his/her neck to discipline her puppies. The pinch collar is simply continuing on the training methods of the mother.

A six foot leather lead is ideal for training because you have enough leash to hold it with lots of slack, this way you are not accidentally pinching your dog by tugging on his leash. There are ways to prevent this accidental discipline and confusion to your dog. Always remember to stand with your dog on your left side this is important because then you and your dog will be used to watching on that side of each

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