Still, having trouble getting my dog's attention when training them huhu What are some methods to teach dogs to disregard distractions and stay attentive to their trainer during training sessions or competitions?
Laura Napier
We work on my Husky paying attention to me a few times a day. She gets easily distracted and I feel it is important for her to watch me for cues to ensure her safety. The exercises are quick but frequent. Before she gets a treat, she has to maintain eye contact with me until I give her the command to get the treat. Before I let her inside or outside, she has to look at me and wait for the command to go in or go out. Any opportunity I can work on this with her, I do. Initially, I would tell her to look at me and praise and reward her when she did. Now most of the time, she gets it without me saying anything. Admittedly, she still gets distracted when she's excited and it's hard for me to regain her attention.
Joseph Solano
It's great that you're working on attention training with your Husky! Consistency and patience are key in reinforcing this behavior. To help regain her attention when she's excited, you can try using higher-value rewards, such as her favorite treats or toys, to make it more enticing for her to focus on you. You can also practice in gradually more distracting environments to build her ability to maintain attention even when excited. Keep up the good work!
Laura Napier
We work on my Husky paying attention to me a few times a day. She gets easily distracted and I feel it is important for her to watch me for cues to ensure her safety. The exercises are quick but frequent. Before she gets a treat, she has to maintain eye contact with me until I give her the command to get the treat. Before I let her inside or outside, she has to look at me and wait for the command to go in or go out. Any opportunity I can work on this with her, I do. Initially, I would tell her to look at me and praise and reward her when she did. Now most of the time, she gets it without me saying anything. Admittedly, she still gets distracted when she's excited and it's hard for me to regain her attention.
Joseph Solano
It's great that you're working on attention training with your Husky! Consistency and patience are key in reinforcing this behavior. To help regain her attention when she's excited, you can try using higher-value rewards, such as her favorite treats or toys, to make it more enticing for her to focus on you. You can also practice in gradually more distracting environments to build her ability to maintain attention even when excited. Keep up the good work!