Keeping the attention of your dog while training is not always an easy task. Dogs can be very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be sabotaged by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.
You should provide random positive stimuli throughout the day in order to maintain the interest of your dog. Doing things the dog like, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are good ways to keep the dog’s attention, but you must give him rewards for his successes.
For example, to thank the dog for coming to you when you call him, tell your dog to come to you, without giving any clues about going for a walk, a car ride, or other treats.
After the dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the leash and begin the treat. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.
Giving some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a tickle behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want him to, is a great method to keep your dog’s motivation while you are dog training.
If your dog knows something good is going to happen every time he follows your command, he will be more motivated to please you every time.
Distraction training.
When training a dog, it is vital to not let distractions ruin 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 types of distractions can even be used as rewards when training your dog to come when called.
For instance, if your dog enjoys romping with other dogs, whether it be in a park or with the neighbour’s dogs, let him play with those other dogs. Then go into the park or garden and call your dog.
When he comes to you, provide lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to return to playing with his pals. Repeat this several 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 naturally social animals, and leaving 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 canine companions, but it is vital to persist in dog training.
Training the dog to come to you may require some creativity on your part at first. For instance, waving a favourite toy, 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 too when you are training your dog.
Once the dog begins to get used to coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to obey your voice alone. It is important that the dog responds to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.
Does your dog require training? If you require more details on dog training, then go over to our web site entitled Successful Dog Training
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