There are many benefits to owning a dog and it is a pleasure that most of us would never live without. There are certain things that we do expect, however, and that is not only true of ourselves it is true of our dogs as well. In many families, the dog is started on a routine obedience program at a very early age and that obedience system may continue to be a part of their life from that time forward.
Some people find that they have a frustrating situation when they are dealing with a dog. You may feel as if the dog just doesn’t listen to you or that they purposefully ignore you when you’re speaking. This can be a very frustrating situation but it is one that can be corrected through the proper obedience training techniques. Here are some tips that can help you to have a dog that listens to your every word.
The first step is to teach the dog how to look at you and to do so on cue. Just as it is possible to teach a dog how to sit, stay or come on command, you can also teach them to look at you and this is a very convenient command. In order to do so, you need to set up a system in which they will be somewhat distracted and when given the command to look at you, they should be rewarded when they do so. It won’t take long before they recognize the benefits of looking at you on command.
Of course, you shouldn’t think of the look command as being something that is similar to telling your dog to sit or stay. In fact, you may be able to use a marker rather than a verbal command, including pointing at your eyes or perhaps even using a dog clicker. Once your dog is properly trained to look at you when they hear that marker, you can snag their attention, regardless of what they happen to be doing. Just make sure to always make it a pleasant experience, even when you’re grabbing their attention from doing something improper.
First of all, cut up some dog treats into small pieces and keep them in a little bag on your belt. Take your dog into a room and have them look at you and then toss one of the treats behind them onto the floor. More than likely, your dog will eat what was dropped quickly and then continue to look for more. When they look back in your direction, give them the cue and then a treat.
This system may need to be repeated multiple times but eventually, your dog will learn to turn back to you very quickly after they eat the treat that you throw behind them. It will take some time and persistence but eventually, your dog will snap to attention and look in your direction, anytime they hear the cue take place.
