Getting Your Dog’s Attention

September 10th, 2008

If you have been working on obedience training with your pooch, you have probably been pretty amazed with your results. Dogs are just fast, competent learners! Sometimes, though, you may have a problem with getting your dog’s attention. Sure, he’ll sit and rollover; that is, once you yell his name a dozen times. Establishing eye contact with your pooch can be a huge help in training; it can also keep him safe if a dangerous situation arises. Here are a few tips for training your pet to look at you.

If you take your pet to a public place (even if it’s just a walk through your neighborhood), then it’s extremely important that you have control over your dog. Yes, a leash can help, but dogs do not always react to leashes the ways we would like for them to. Establishing eye contact with your dog not only gets his attention, but it also gets him ready for whatever you need him to do. In essence, it gives you control. This can be especially important when the dog across the street is tempting your pooch. As your dog ages, he may lose his acute sense of hearing. Having eye contact training already established can help you with a deaf pet.

So, now that you know a few benefits of eye contact training, it is time to get started. Before you gather the supplies, think about what verbal command you want to relate with eye contact. If you want, you can simply use your pet’s name to get his attention. This is not always ideal, though, because there are cases where you do not want your pet to look at you every time you say his name. So, come up with your own command. “Watch me” or “look here” are always good options. Now, it is time to move onto the training. As with all training, you’ll need a pocketful of treats. If you use a clicker for training, then you should go ahead and grab that, too. Take your pet to a quiet room in your home with no distractions, so that he can focus on you.

The methods of teaching eye contact are numerous. This is just one way, but there are many others. If you want to modify this training to fit your pet, then feel free to do so. Some people recommend having your pet on a leash that is tied around your waist; that way, if your pet is easily distracted, there are not too many directions he can look.

Have your pet sit in front of you. Pull a treat from your pocket, but be careful not to show it to your pooch yet. Say your chosen command as you display the treat out of your pet’s reach. He will probably be hypnotized by the treat in your hand, staring hard. But, most pooches will look to their owners when it comes to something they want. Keep the treat in your hand until he looks up to you. The moment he looks up to you, praise him with a “good” or any other verbal praise, and let him have the treat. If you use a clicker to train, the click the clicker the instant he looks to you and give him the treat. Repeat this a handful of times. If your pet refuses to give you a glance, then you may have to move the treat towards your face. Let’s your dog’s eyes follow as you put the treat nearly level with your eyes. Repeat this several times, but then move the treat away from your face.

As your pet begins to make eye contact, you should begin to add your own distractions. With the treat in hand, move your hand away from your body. Your dog will look at the treat and then you. Give the command. Once again, when he looks at you give him the reward. Eventually, he will learn that looking at you, instead of looking at the treat, gets him the treat. Then, move the training into an area where there are other distractions and continue the routine.

Getting your pooch’s attention is necessary for a number of reasons. Training him to look at you is not a tough instruction, but it should be tailored to fit your pet. For instance, if you are clicker training, then use the clicker; if your pooch likes to be pet instead of getting a treat, then give him a good rub. Once your pet understands what you want from him, then practice the training outdoors.

This article is sponsored by Pet Super Store. A great website for pet carriers, dog crates, and orthopedic dog beds

Entry Filed under: Pet Health

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