How do you teach focus? - Page 4

Phil, do you really want to hurt me? You are a karma chameleon!

Foundation is key.  My dogs learn the command "fuss" or "heel" means he is to be in the correct heel position and also he is to be paying attention to me.  So I prefer not to teach a seperate focus command.  When I am ready to start teaching a puppy to fuss, with my pup already in correct position, I say "fuss", my dog looks at my face, I reward him. Eventually, once my dog understands the command, I can add slight distraction, and when he looks away because of that distraction, I give him a slight correction, then as soon as he looks right back at me (which he always does because of the correction)  I always give him a big praise reward.  So now he begins to understand he must also work under distraction.   Corrections are always followed up with rewards.   

I  think an important part of the focus equation is to always work my dogs in high drive.  Eventually I increase the periods of time I ask for focus before I reward, working to a time when I can fuss my dog for as long as I want and he will always remain focused and in drive.  I don't train much with food, because I do not ever reward my dog when he is not in high drive,  I prefer to only train and reward my dog when he is in high drive state  such as he is in when playing with a ball or tug,   

This is the easiest method for me and my dogs.  Of course I didn't figure out any of this on my own.  I learned it from my mentors.  I am lucky to be able to train with very talented, gifted and generous trainers. 

Rugers:  You asked if you could go back to a training method you used to use, so I decided to elaborate on my above post.  Yes you can, but please keep in mind this is why  a solid foundation cannot be stressed enough and is  the most important aspect when training a dog.  Don't skip steps, don't rush the dog through, or you will end up with cracks in your foundation and your training will suffer and fall apart in times of stress.

I use the command look and reward . It works the same on older untrained dogs as in puppies. Reward is what ever the dog prefers with dogs lower in prey food or high prey tug or ball.

Good thread.
A week out from going for our BH, my three year old male has decided I am very ugly and he's disgusted with me.... and refuses to even look at me. Unless I have a toy under my arm.
We have very little training under us and it was all broken up over the last year. I won't bore you with "why I couldn't go to  training" excuses...
So since he was my first GSD and I didn't know any better, I  never motivated him with food, only toys, none of the food methods work with him.  Also before I switched him to raw, he was the type of dog who would occasionally turn his nose up to his meals and not eat.
It's good to read these though because since I'm pretty much starting over with him, and have young dogs I'm also working so the food methods for focus really are helpful to us.
Thanks
Stacy

I  think perhaps some of the biggest problems occur  when people  try to progress a little too quickly beyond this area, before the dog is ready, and stop the lessons a little too soon.  So the dog is still working only for reward (food/toy/ball, whatever) and consequently loses focus when they no longer think their handler has the reward.  Regardless of how you train focus, there comes a point when the reward is no longer there.  I do not believe in trying to fool the dog into believing the reward is always there, this doesn't work for me and my dogs.  I think the reason for holding the ball under the arm isn't to fool the dog, but so that while training this is an easy and quick way to reward the dog with very little movement on the handlers part,  and when dropped the dog can only grab the ball if he is in the correct position in the first place.  The dog isn't allowed to get the ball if it falls to the ground, for instance.   The key is figuring out how to make your dog work focused and in high drive all the time, not because he thinks you have something for him, but because you want him to,  and he does what you want.  The dog now knows what you want of him, he  has no doubt and  you are always fair, and he will always actually  be rewarded for being focused and in drive, even if only by your smile.

Stacy, you are too funny!  Echo won't look at me either.  I was originally told that Fuss meant the same as heel so that's what I taught her.  She does a fair job of it even if she isn't looking at me.  I can get her to look at me from time to time but she prefers to watch what is going on around her.  Very curious young lady!  If I have her in the sit position and tell her fuss she will get closer and scoot back thinking she is too far away or forward.  She will bark at me like "what do you want from me?" but she isn't putting the focus together with the position.  I think I will try GSDtravels trick and see if I can get her to put it together.  She is a pretty smart pup and is doing well despite my messing her up every step of the way.  She is improving.  A work in progress, for sure.  This is a great thread by the way.  I'm sure we'll use several tatics listed here and get it figured out.

The SANE version of doberdoodle's methods actually work.  This has to all be taught by 16 wks to be HIT in OB in my experience.

Sitting face to face:
1) Watch your face on command with aid of hand and treat;
2) Watch your face on command with hands at side;
3) Watch your face on command with hands doing things off to the side -- verbal correction (eh eh!!) when the pup looks away from your eyes -- pup cannot look at crazy hand games, must look at your face;

Now with pup sitting at your side:
Repeat 1, 2, 3 above.

Now with pup platzing at odd angles:
Repeat 1, 2, 3 above.

Now with pup fussing.
Repeat 1, 2, 3 above.

Now with pup sitting facing away from you.
#3

Now with pup lying on his or her back:
#3

Now with dog running away from you.
#3

You get the idea...

Add distractions/proof when she's solid - not before!  This is the golden rule of training -- no stupid proofing before the idea is absolutely solid.

My favorite proofing is to have one dog doing a Watch Me routine, while I toss hot dog bits to another dog!  The first dog wants to go for the thrown hot dog bits pretty badly, but she cannot even move her eyes off yours until you say so.  Then reward her like crazy, of course.

All done 12-16 weeks or competitive life is much harder later.

I also agree with most of what sueincc has to say.

Rugers - remember that 8-11 months or so is adolescence -- be gentle but firm throughout this time and he will come back to you. 

Try to browbeat him into being the little charmer he was a few months ago, and you risk making him avoidant and resentful for life.  I don't know how many dogs I've seen who look so avoidant I wonder if their owner trained like a steam engine through the tough times, instead of having the grace to give their pup room to grow and live when he needed it.