Doberman Gang
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How do I get more focus and engagement and keep my dogs attention?
I get asked this question more than any other. My response is usually,
“What do you possess that that your dog wants?”
Food?, a special toy? High value treat?
But are any of these things alone enough to maintain your dogs attention when highly distracted? The answer is probably No.
So we must make ourselves more valuable. How?
This must be done thru interactive play and the use of marker training to give the dog clear communication.
First off, the use of markers, or clicker training. This is to isolate a moment in time to teach the dog that it is doing what we ask correctly, and a reward will be coming. Without a marker, the treat being presented will not be delivered at the precise time and most of the time the handler ends up rewarding something other than what they wanted. Example “Dog is heeling, head up, straight, perfectly in-line. Without a marker you start to reward with a treat, next the dog changes position, loses focus on you, possibly forges or jumps up.” Now you have rewarded that behavior, reinforcing that instead of the heeling.
Now, how do we teach our dog to understand the marker system?
We do this by using classical conditioning. (Mark then Reward, Mark then Reward, Mark then Reward ect... ect... ect...)
So without me getting to in depth about all of this and the four quadrants of training I will just say the delivery of the reward now becomes the thing that builds focus and drive.
Most people reward with little or no animation or excitement. This is boring, sure the dog loves the food but in an uncontrolled setting, distractions will be much more enticing. So we mark our training then use excitement and chasing games for the dog to access their reward. Sometimes even throwing the food for the dog to chase then calling them back to chase another piece of food in our hand. Some times doing this multiple times between training to create a short play session. Other times right back to work after just one reward. Keeping the training unbalanced will actually heighten you dogs attention and drive from anticipation of the next play session. This can all be done with simple food rewards, I recommend to my people that they use food rewards when teaching new behaviors then switch to a toy or tug once behavior has been learned. Typically drive and focus increase tremendously once a toy reward is being used, so new behaviors can be harder to teach with a dog in higher state if drive.
If you build a routine or cue your dog everyone you go somewhere you will classically condition them to focus on you whenever you go out because they will believe play is inevitable.
So when you go out in public, you get them out and have a short reward or play session. This is done closer and closer to people and dogs. But you do not let them greet or play with other people and dogs, just you, this is proper socializing. Strangers and their dogs are neutral and everything good now is with you. If your dog is never allowed to go on there own to met strangers they won’t try to leave you because they are expecting a play session with their favorite person, You!!!
Good luck and make training a fun play session. Don’t be afraid to look silly, your dog won’t care and will have a fun time.
I get asked this question more than any other. My response is usually,
“What do you possess that that your dog wants?”
Food?, a special toy? High value treat?
But are any of these things alone enough to maintain your dogs attention when highly distracted? The answer is probably No.
So we must make ourselves more valuable. How?
This must be done thru interactive play and the use of marker training to give the dog clear communication.
First off, the use of markers, or clicker training. This is to isolate a moment in time to teach the dog that it is doing what we ask correctly, and a reward will be coming. Without a marker, the treat being presented will not be delivered at the precise time and most of the time the handler ends up rewarding something other than what they wanted. Example “Dog is heeling, head up, straight, perfectly in-line. Without a marker you start to reward with a treat, next the dog changes position, loses focus on you, possibly forges or jumps up.” Now you have rewarded that behavior, reinforcing that instead of the heeling.
Now, how do we teach our dog to understand the marker system?
We do this by using classical conditioning. (Mark then Reward, Mark then Reward, Mark then Reward ect... ect... ect...)
So without me getting to in depth about all of this and the four quadrants of training I will just say the delivery of the reward now becomes the thing that builds focus and drive.
Most people reward with little or no animation or excitement. This is boring, sure the dog loves the food but in an uncontrolled setting, distractions will be much more enticing. So we mark our training then use excitement and chasing games for the dog to access their reward. Sometimes even throwing the food for the dog to chase then calling them back to chase another piece of food in our hand. Some times doing this multiple times between training to create a short play session. Other times right back to work after just one reward. Keeping the training unbalanced will actually heighten you dogs attention and drive from anticipation of the next play session. This can all be done with simple food rewards, I recommend to my people that they use food rewards when teaching new behaviors then switch to a toy or tug once behavior has been learned. Typically drive and focus increase tremendously once a toy reward is being used, so new behaviors can be harder to teach with a dog in higher state if drive.
If you build a routine or cue your dog everyone you go somewhere you will classically condition them to focus on you whenever you go out because they will believe play is inevitable.
So when you go out in public, you get them out and have a short reward or play session. This is done closer and closer to people and dogs. But you do not let them greet or play with other people and dogs, just you, this is proper socializing. Strangers and their dogs are neutral and everything good now is with you. If your dog is never allowed to go on there own to met strangers they won’t try to leave you because they are expecting a play session with their favorite person, You!!!
Good luck and make training a fun play session. Don’t be afraid to look silly, your dog won’t care and will have a fun time.