Teaching to Focus - Page 1

How do you train your dogs to focus on you when doing given tasks, rather than rewards, Primarily food and treats?

One of the best pieces of advice I got on this was as follows:  Take your treat, break it in two and hold one in each hand.  The dog, of course will focus on the treats.  Hold both in front of you but out of reach of the dog.  Slowy move your hands away from each other.   Hold them apart.  The dog will be confused, trying to figure out how to get the treat and will look from one hand to the other.  Watch carefully because he will look to you for direction.  As soon as he makes eye contact, marker word and treat immediately.  It only takes a few times for them to "get it" and soon they will look into your eye before looking at the treat.  You then slowy take the treats away and use marker and/or other reward, such as tug.  I've had others instruct holding the treat to your eyes but the dog knows they're still looking at the treat.  This technique teaches them exactly what you're asking without any question.

Thank you! I will have to try this out something very soon. He just stares and stares at the treat and wont do anything unless I have one in my hand.

I also use a marker word, "yes" when my dog does what I want and to communicate to it that that is what the treat is for.  For teaching "look" at first I hold a treat about waist level (yes, in front of them) and let them poke as much as they want but without getting it.  I wait for them to look but if they don't seem to think to look at me on their own I click my tongue... has always worked for me.  But you have to be quick to use the marker word as they will likely only look for a second.  Build up from there requiring a longer stare over time and requiring "look" before everything they do.  Good luck.

You're welcome!  Also, remember to keep it fun, not too serious, smile

Slowly move the treat from waists level up to your mouth hold it with your lips and make clicking noise or hissing. Release the treat only when the dog is focus, is good for the come and fetch. Use the lead as well.