Many dog owners, at one point or another, have had an issue maintaining their dog's focus while teaching new behaviors. Whether its in a group class setting or at home teaching basic commands, we've all seen it - all of the sudden, the treats we are using become less appealing and our dog finds other things, outside of the lesson we are teaching, to keep him occupied. So how do we keep training fun and keep our dog interested?
First and foremost, keep sessions short. It's far better when teaching new commands, to train for two to three minutes at a time, several times throughout the course of the day. If you spend 30 minutes drilling your dog on a down-stay, they can become frustrated, tired and you will begin to lose focus.
Second, always end a training session on a positive note. If you are working the down, make sure you don't end your session with an argument. Get him in the position and then throw a party! Celebrate his achievements and let him know you are proud of him. Then, end your session. Ending on a bad note will only make your pet dread your next session. Alternatively, ending your session on a fun and positive note will leave your pet begging for more.
Third and perhaps most importantly, be enthusiastic. If you celebrate your dog's accomplishments, he will be more motivated to repeat the desired behavior you have been working on. If you are dull, unenthusiastic and simply offer a quiet pat on the head as reward for a job well done, your dog will respond with the same level of enthusiasm and will be less likely to perform the behavior you have been asking for.
Lastly, when training your pup, begin with little to no distractions. Start training in your living room or another quiet, comfortable space. Once your dog understands what is expected of him and is motivated to give the desired behavior, you can SLOWLY increase the distractions and change the context of the training. For example, when teaching the down, begin in your living room. Once your dog is performing reliably, begin training in your backyard. Next, move sessions to your front yard and then to the park. If your dog has a meltdown and completely forgets his training, take a step back and decrease distractions until you get a more reliable response. Remember to be patient and take it slow - we are in essence, teaching our dogs a foreign language, so we can't get too upset if they don't understand right off the bat.
For more information or for help in teaching your dog to focus, contact the trainers of The Collared Scholar at 619-916-8710.
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