Tips & Tricks The simple things that make all the difference! |
Does your puppy pull towards people or other dogs while on a walk? Does your puppy get overly excited when someone new is around? Do you wish your dog would focus on you instead of the latest distraction? Now there’s an idea! Remember, think about what you want your dog TO DO, not what you don’t want them to do, and go from there.
So you are out and about when your dog starts pulling towards a stranger. In this instance, I want my dog to look at me and wait for further instructions. I add on a SIT or DOWN for my service dogs. If this is the behavior I want, how can I break it down into smaller sections for my dog while they are learning?
This is how all of my training sessions start. First, I think about what task I want my dog to do when a stimulus (in this case, a stranger) is presented. Next, I think about how to get my dog to do the first step. In this scenario, I want my dog to look at me when a stranger walks by. I like using positive techniques whenever possible so in this case, I would pull out a small treat and wave it in front of my puppy’s nose. As soon as they look at me, I would mark, “YES” and reward them. Then I’d take another treat out and get their attention, count to three then mark and reward. This would be followed by five seconds, then 10, 15, 20 and so on. As soon as the stranger leaves, I put the treats away and we continue on our way.
If I want a SIT or DOWN in addition to their attention, while they are looking at me, I would ask for the SIT or DOWN by giving the cue as soon as they are watching me. If they don’t yet know those behaviors well enough to do them on cue, I would use a treat lure to get them into the desired position, then mark “YES” and treat. Keep feeding them food rewards to keep them in the desired position until the stranger passes, then release them.
To practice, I would go to a park where I could find at least five strangers. I would then practice the above scenario each time a stranger came close enough to catch my puppy’s attention. If your puppy is TOO focused on the distraction, move away to the point where your puppy is interested, but not as much. Distance solves a lot of issues! This helps in the beginning until your puppy is conditioned to look at you when they see someone new. For more training tips, check out our ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL to learn more.
Happy Training, Amy & Team |
