Heeling on the left? HEEL NO!
Spicy title aside, heeling on the left should stay where it belongs: in competitive obedience only.
In competitive dog obedience, dogs are scored on their ability to remain in the heel position on their handler’s left hand side.
You are not scored, however, in your dog’s ability to walk on your left side when you take them on a neighbourhood walk. The need for your dog to remain in a rigid position ‘at heel’ is about as necessary as a hat for a smooth collie.
Yeah, it looks interesting but it doesn’t really benefit the dog in any way.
Are there some uses for heeling behaviour in the world of pet dogs?
Probably.
There are several instances where having your dog walk along with you for a short period could be beneficial. Walking past a strange dog or person, wanting your dog’s attention on you, being able to turn and quickly head in the opposite direction, all of these have merit. But does your dog need to be in a heel position to achieve them?
Nope!
Dogs get so little choice in their lives already. Let their walks be an opportunity for them to have some choice and agency over their environment. Sniffing and olfactory stimulation is such an essential part of a dog’s world and I cannot accept heel being a default walking position because of this. Nor can I accept any organisations that make heeling on the left a standard protocol for walking dogs. Again, brief heeling? Fine. Default? I suggest you research dog behaviour, ethology and the dog-human bond and come back to me on that one.
A walk is an opportunity for you and your dog to connect, sniff, explore and be present in the outside environment. Enjoy it and feel free to have your dog walk wherever they want, on a nice loose lead.
