To Hell with Heel

In the spirit of October and all things spooky, I’m sending the concept of “heel” straight to hell.

Here’s why: It is a welfare issue.

Of the five freedoms of animal welfare most of us are aware of, it’s #4 that gets glossed over the most.

Freedom to Express Normal Behavior

Normal behavior for dogs looks like moving freely in nature. Sniffing. Investigating. Exploring.

The entire concept of dogs on a short leash walking right next to us looking straight ahead and not interacting with the environment is so, so wrong, and entirely a concept that WE have invented and normalized.

I am here to tell you that IT IS NOT NORMAL.

It is not only not normal—it is comprising our dogs’ welfare. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I am here to tell you that IT IS OK FOR YOUR DOG TO WALK OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.

Asking your dog to check in or to walk next to you briefly for safety reasons is one thing.

Ushering your dog around by the neck on a short, taut leash and expecting them to adapt and be “tired out” from that, is quite another.

I’ve seen maladaptive, frustrated behaviors present in dogs who have been yanked and pulled around time and time again. And after being introduced to a long-line and getting a taste of freedom TO BE A DOG—their entire world opens up and that frustration dissipates.

These ridiculous “obedience” ideas have permeated our culture so deeply that our expectations of both dogs and dog guardians are wildly unrealistic and psychologically damaging to all of us!

We forget about ethology and genetics.

Dogs are born with needs that we must meet.

The least we can do when we bring them into our human world is understand their origins and what they need to thrive.