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Puppy has started offering a heel when we go on our walks. We've never "heeled." I've never had a dog heel before. I mostly grew up in the country, and our dog training was much less formal.
They went where we went, or they stayed home and watched the property.
Puppy is an urban puppy, though, so I want to encourage this - it seems like it would be very handy.
Normally we go for our walk (thank goodness for the prong, our pulling issues are almost completely gone!!), I say "lets go" and we go, with time for sniffing, etc. I've never had her stick right by my side.
The last week or so, however, she's been offering that prancy, wrap your head up toward mom (aka Bearer of Yummy Treats) thing.
Do I just say "Good, heel, good" and so on? Because so far she is not picking up on the English involved. Is there something I can do to speed up that process? Secondly, she is very much looking at the hand/pocket that holds the treats, not trying to make eye contact. I'm not sure if this is good or bad - don't they actually need to look where we're going?
Thanks in advance!

Puppy is an urban puppy, though, so I want to encourage this - it seems like it would be very handy.

Normally we go for our walk (thank goodness for the prong, our pulling issues are almost completely gone!!), I say "lets go" and we go, with time for sniffing, etc. I've never had her stick right by my side.
The last week or so, however, she's been offering that prancy, wrap your head up toward mom (aka Bearer of Yummy Treats) thing.
Do I just say "Good, heel, good" and so on? Because so far she is not picking up on the English involved. Is there something I can do to speed up that process? Secondly, she is very much looking at the hand/pocket that holds the treats, not trying to make eye contact. I'm not sure if this is good or bad - don't they actually need to look where we're going?

Thanks in advance!
