Dog training tip: Eyes on me

Dog training tip: Eyes on me

Training your dog to focus on you, even when distractions are everywhere, is essential groundwork for any further training. 

In the first instalment of our training tips we suggested ideas for how to teach name recognition and then we looked at building focus and attention span. The next step is to build on that focus, teaching your dog to “watch me” for their next instruction.

Once a dog knows to look at you when you say its name or ask for a ‘watch me’ (the two-treat game is great for working on this), it’s time to increase the length of time the dog has to look at you before receiving their treat. 

Have the dog on a lead, sitting (if they know this already) and hold a treat in your fist. When your dog looks at you, say its name in a positive, bouncy voice while smiling. Hold eye contact while silently counting to five. Then praise your dog verbally and present the treat. Remember, if the dog looks away – no praise and no treat. 

 

 

Over the course of two to three weeks, gradually increase the amount of time you ask the dog to hold the “watch me” to 30 seconds.

The next step is to ask the dog to “watch me” while walking away from the dog. Walk almost to the end of the leash with a treat in your hand. If the dog looks away or doesn’t look toward you, turn quickly and walk the opposite direction to where the dog is looking. The element of surprise is enough to discourage this behaviour so there’s no need to yell or yank on the leash. When the dog catches up and looks at you, praise and give the treat.

Keep training sessions short and positive

As their response to “eyes on me” or “watch me” becomes more consistent, ask them to do it in new environments. Gradually introduce the request to more distracting environments – you want them to ignore flying footballs, whizzing skateboards and other dogs when you ask. 

Remember also to use the right treats when dog training. Using processed, high-fat treats can add hidden calories to a dog's diet. Hound Chicken Chips are great because they're high in protein and contain no additives or preservatives - just New Zealand raised chicken. Plus they can be easily snapped into small pieces. 

Training a dog takes time. But as long as you stay consistent and keep it fun, you will have a dog that knows how to focus and eventually, follow an instruction.

Curious about how to teach a dog to recognise its name? See Hound Training Tip: Name recognition

Need ideas about how to improve your dog's attention span? See Hound Training Tip: Building focus and attention span

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