She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Put your dog into their crate right away, or keep them close to you on their leash so they do not sneak off and poop. Say nothing, as it is important that your dog learns to make these associations for himself. If your dog lunges or tries to get to the treat, then immediately put your foot over the treat. Set the machine a few feet away and have your dog sit next to you. Then, increase the amount of time you require your dog to make eye contact before rewarding it with food. 5. Teaching your puppy or older dog to heel can be easy and fun. Choose to “Heel” – This exercise teaches your dog to pay attention to you even while moving (you can also use it to teach leash manners!). After your dog is learning to focus on you more, you can begin practicing basic obedience to tame prey drive in your dog during your park sessions. That is why you are very important to your dog. "Finger action has helped as well with commands.". You need to fix that before you can do anything else. Toys – which toys? Encourage your dog to chase you, but never play games that involve you chasing your dog. He may jump or bark to get you to start playing. As you are running, hold a treat at the dog’s nose level to serve as a lure. They get interested in smells, other animals, toys, people, food, etc. Do not move. Start in your same quiet, no-distraction room and just walk in circles. via Shutterstock. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Think you know your dog well? http://www.greenacreskennel.com/dog-behavior-and-training/attention-look-watch-me.html, http://www.puppyleaks.com/clicker-training-dog-basics/, http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pets/dog-behavior/how-to-get-your-dogs-attention, http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/teaching-dog-drive-eye-contact-focus-leash-skills/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Turn off devices such as phones and televisions. She has the drive and focuses on me, but when I make a left turn, she looks away then back at me. Increase the amount of distractions slowly. Learning will take place. Lots of positive experiences with other dogs should build both you and your dog's confidence, and help you both feel more relaxed around other dogs. In 10 to 15 minutes, take your dog outside again. Consistency is key for getting dogs to learn a given behavior. Repeat several times, encouraging him, if necessary, to go get the treats when he hears the beep. References. Eventually, you’ll be able to simply use the verbal command without needing the toy. It’s boring! So remember to practice first exercise, then discipline, and then affection. If your dog has a good understanding of the command, it should relieve itself quickly. And, how to get your husky to pay attention to you? This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. You need to allow your dog to feel a little uncomfortable in order to train him. When you need take your dog outside for a potty break, ask her to touch the bells with her nose right before you open the door. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Knowing what your dog values allows you to pick rewards with higher values when needed, helping to ensure success. Then, you can start the real training. You can use sounds or touch to get the puppy's attention. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. You have to develop and maintain a consistent schedule, because if you don't enforce it every day, she could revert back to her old ways. Use something to help block your dog’s view of the other dogs (put you in an adjacent room, use a sheet-covered ring gate, etc.). Create A Predictable Schedule. Your dog may act very frustrated or upset when you won’t play with him. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 80,312 times. To do this, offer your dog several things (one at a time) and see what he gets excited about the most: Does he get more excited about food? {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/31\/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Focus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Teach-Your-Dog-to-Focus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/31\/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Focus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1403753-v4-728px-Teach-Your-Dog-to-Focus-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"