I have begun taking Bacchus for walks around the block and have begun training the heel command. I think it is essential in a dense urban environment for a dog to heel to either side on command.

Any thoughts on a command for a right-side heel?

Anybody else train their sibe to be equally good heeling on the left vs. right?

My girl is taught to left side heel. She didn't like to do both sides. I focused on left side heel though so that she is always away from the road when we walk near the highway. Most of the time we do trails but if stuck in town you are supposed to walk so that you are facing on-coming traffic. This is so you know a vehicle is coming and if they might be veering off course where they might come to the sidewalk and hit you. I started with liver treats and would hold them out to my side to set the boundary of where I wanted her to be at my side. I would tell her heel and then we would take off walking with the treat out like a carrot for her to follow. If you got antsy and moved past the spot I wanted her I would give the leash a quick tug to move her back. When she had successfully heeled where I wanted her she would sit then get the treat. We did this until eventually I wasn't looming the treat over her anymore.

I think I may go with the command "Right" for right-side heel unless I can think of something better. Maybe I will replace the word heel with "Left" so I will just use Left or Right for either side.

I also am training a release for heel (currently using the command "Loose") so he knows he is free to walk loose leash (no-pulling). I am not a big fan of a constant heel during walks. As long as he is walking with a some slack on the leash it is all good.

Since my pup is named Stihl (pronounce like Steel) which sounds too similar to "heel," we use the command "close" so you could always just pick two similar but different words. Just a suggestion! We do this with spin. For a spin right the command is "turn" and to spin left the command is "spin" (just make sure not to mess them up ).