September Training Challenge - Focus

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I guess we've agreed to give the monthly training assignment another try.  For September the challenge is "Focus and Attention".  This is foundational to much of our other training.  I agreed to take a look through some of my training books and share some of the "tips" on improving focus.  Actually most of what I read is very similar and positive reinforcement is common denominator. 

-One method begins with feeding the dog.  For a few days place your dog's food out of their reach and just stand quietly.  At some point the dog will look to you for help...or just out of frustration.  As soon as that happens, mark (click if you're clicker training) and immediately give the reward (the food).  I started this with my guys a couple days ago.  I am varying the length of the look now, waiting longer before they get their food (about 30 seconds).

-The goal is a calm and intense stare.  The dog is learning self control and focus on you....keys to effective training.

-Next step would be to hold a treat, show the dog, then hold it away from your body.  When they understand the exercise they will know that looking at you releases the treat....looking at the food does not.  I just started this one.  Guinness got it right away.....Murph is having a little more difficulty.  He's tending to continue staring at the food.  We're doing this exercise here at home for now.  We will need to take it outside and to the park and places of higher distraction.  For me the ultimate test will be Petco.

-I found this helpful...

It is important to remember that dogs are very specific in their understanding of situations, a command for sit in your living room with a cookie in your hand is different to a command to sit at a busy pet store.  This is why we need to take the dog to lots of different places so that he can learn to generalize his reaction to a command.  Also remember to do focus work with the dog beside you as well as in front.  This will help with the heel position.  Once you are getting constant "eye contact" you may add the verbal command like "look" or "watch me". 

The command that I'm using is "look".  I'm using it now a lot throughout the day.  What has been really effective is using it when we play ball.  I put the ball behind my back, tell them look, when I get eye contact then I throw it.

So, I hope this information is helpful.  None of this is "rocket science", so there are many different ways to approach this.  Please share any insights that you've received from your trainers or in you own reading. 

Let's use this discussion to post questions and progress.  Please include videos and I think that is so helpful to everyone else. 

[Amy and Truman]

Truman is 13 weeks and I'm going to start this ASAP along with his other puppy school tasks!  Love this idea and thanks so much for taking the time to get this info together!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Good project for us.

[Kathy, Harley & Roxie]

This will be a good one to work on in public.  He does very well at eye contact and attention in the house when food is the incentive.

[Kyoko]

I think this will help develop the " default behavior". What I mean by that is, whenever the dog is in heel position, sitting in front of you, etc.... the dog will give you the default behavior which is to look at you, waiting for the next command, instead of looking around, sniffing etc.. and be distructed by the environment. This was actually the first thing we had to do, when we got into Rally, so that the dog will be totally focused and ready for the next command in the ring. We started this practice in the house at first where is least distructed ( for Charlie, it was a room where it can be just she and I without Butter), and gradually added distructions to the point we can do this outdoor, starting from my own yard, on the street, etc....

It s still hard for her when she see the ultimate distruction which is another dogs, small animals, etc.... This is a good reminder for us to get back into practicing this because if we don't work on it for awhile, she regress a little....

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

How about this focus!!!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That looks like Freestyle training! Reminds me a lot of Carolyn Scott & Rookie. And just because I can never watch it enough, here they are. How about THIS focus?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Holy Doodles...how fun is this!  I want to dance like this with Big Murph!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Recently, someone was saying that they thought dogs who are really, really well trained lose their personalities, or their enthusiasm, or something like that, and become like robot dogs. I think this video disproves that, lol. There's no doubt this dog loves what he's doing!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Can you blame him?  This dog is a better dancer than my DH (oh I hope he doesn't see this when he's "lurking" around DK, but it's true).  I want to wear one of those "Olivia Newton-John outfits" too.

[Dori & Rua]

LOL Jane.  Ditto...on the DH & dancing part. I have no desire to wear the Olivia Newton-John outfit, though.  I was thinking more of one of those short little ice skating skirts!

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

OMG, I love this!!! 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

This is so cool and both of them are having such fun... worth all the work they both put in.  I love the little extra moves the dog puts in.