Heel / loose leash walking
Foundation — prerequisite skills
Psychiatric Service Dog
Mobility Assistance Dog
Guide Dog
Hearing Alert Dog
Medical Alert Dog
Autism Assistance Dog
Allergy Detection Dog
Multi-Task Service Dog
Service Dog In Training
About this task
The dog walks calmly beside the handler with a loose leash or in heel position.
How it helps: Service dogs must be able to accompany their handler anywhere without pulling.
Required foundation skills
Attention — eye contact with handler.
Training steps
- Start indoors with minimal distractions
- Hold leash in left hand, treats in right
- Lure dog to left side, reward for being in position
- Take one step, reward dog for staying in position
- Gradually increase steps between rewards
- If dog pulls, stop walking immediately — wait for leash to go slack
- Never allow pulling to be reinforced by forward movement
- Add turns: left, right, about turn
- Introduce the heel cue
- Practice until dog walks with loose leash in varied environments
Proofing criteria
Once your dog reliably performs this task at home, proof it in these environments and situations:
- Heel on loose leash indoors
- Heel on loose leash in backyard
- Heel past other dogs at 20 feet
- Heel past food on the ground
- Heel through a crowd
- Heel past distracting items (bikes, strollers, wheelchairs)
- Heel in a store
- Heel on public transit
- Heel through doorways and elevators
- Maintain heel for 10 minutes continuously in public