Starting to train

The equipment needed is: A 6 ft. leather or web lead is best (nylon or rope may slide through the fingers causing a burn or blister, chain likewise, and is too heavy, creating the sense that you are pulling), a flat collar, and a twenty foot lead, long line, or rope. Four empty but clean soda cans, slightly crushed so as to be "square" to prevent their rolling and creating a prolonged sound, with six pennies inside each, with tape over the opening, and a utility bag for carrying equipment.
Lastly, you'll need an open mind and a desire to improve the quality of life for your pet.

First Steps in training Proper handling of your lead:
Failure to properly handle your lead is usually the first mistake that leads to your next and more crucial mistakes. The lead must be handled in a casual relaxed manner to avoid transmitting tension and triggering the opposition reflex in your dog.

Start by opening your hand with the thumb extended and palm facing you. Hang the loop or handle over the thumb, and gently close fist around both lengths of the handle. Close your thumb down over the second joint of the index finger. Pull down so the handle is to be snug over your thumb as you maintain a gentle grasp around the handle.
This is a safety. If your dog should pull hard, the handle will not accidentally slip through your palm. If it is imminent that you will lose balance and fall, opening the fist will release you and prevent a fall.
Next, take the length of your lead, and bring it upward, placing it under the fingers and in contact with both sides of the handle in your closed palm. You should now be able to pull or slide the running length through the palm to make adjustments.

Drop your arm down to your side. The length should break just at your kneecap if you're dog were in the heel position. Ordinarily, the heel position is with your dog on your left side, and the lead will be held in your right hand.

Your left hand must never (until you are trained) hold the lead while in the heel position, except to collect the length to return it to your right hand. The length of your lead shall break just below your left kneecap. If you need to work your dog on your right side, or from in front, or at a distance, the lead will be in your left hand. (If you are going to heel your dog on your right side, for our purposes, you will need to make the appropriate adjustments with regard to left and right signals, turns, etc. I recommend not doing so at this time, unless physical needs dictate).

The heel position means your dogs shoulder is at your knee. It does not matter whether he is standing, sitting, walking, lying down, or jumping straight up in the air! In fact, if I could get all of my dogs to heel while jumping straight up in the air, I would be ecstatic. If your dog's shoulders are aligned at your knee and he is facing the same direction as you, that's the heel position.

Trivial as this may seem, nothing in the Puppy Dog Training Method (at this point) is arbitrary. Pay close attention to the above details. Notice that the running length of the lead should easily flow through the closed fingers. The arm should hang relaxed at your side. Keep your back straight; don't lean over your dog. The length of the lead should break at your kneecap. Never allow the length of your lead to loop over or between any fingers, as this will create a block, creating tension in your hand, causing a bend at the elbow, creating tension on your dog's collar, triggering the opposition reflex, thus defeating our method. There should never be any tension applied to your dogs collar. .