Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always an easy task. Dogs are very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be ruined by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to making a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.
You should provide random positive stimuli throughout the day in order to keep the attention of the dog. Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are good methods to keep the dog’s attention, but you must reward him for small successes.
For instance, to thank the dog for coming to you when you call him, tell your dog to come to you, without giving any ideas about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.
After your dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and start the reward. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.
Providing some sort of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want, is a good way to keep your dog motivated while you are dog training.
If the dog knows something good is going to happen every time he follows your commands, he will be more motivated to do want you tell him every time.
Distraction training.
When training any dog, it is important to not let distractions disrupt the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These kinds of distractions can also be used as rewards when training the dog to come when called.
For example, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog.
When he comes to you, give him lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his pals. Repeat this a few times and praise the dog every time he comes to you.
The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being taken away from the park).
This so-called distraction training is one of the most difficult things for your dog to learn, because dogs are social animals by nature, and breaking away from the pack is one of the most difficult things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably unwilling to leave their doggy companions, but it is vital to persist in dog training.
Training the dog to come to you when you call can require some creativity on your behalf at first. For instance, waving one of his favourite toys, or a lure, is a good way to get your dog’s attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator as well in dog training.
Once the dog begins to become used to coming when called, you can begin to reduce and then stop the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to respond to your voice alone. It is vital that your dog responds to voice commands alone, since you will not always have a toy or other lure to hand.
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