Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have your dog come to you every time you call her? Have you ever asked Fluffy to sit or perform an essential cue such as down or stay, and she does not pay attention to you? We (doggies) don’t misbehave in public to make our owners look bad.
Sometimes, we can’t help it! We get excited by the many exciting things we encounter. If your four-legged friend is not paying attention to you most likely Fluffy is finding the distractions more interesting than you.
Below are some tips my mom uses with us when she trains us.
🐾 Choose a quiet location. Whenever you are starting to teach a new trick or behavior to your dog, it is best to choose a quiet area. This will prevent Fluffy from getting distracted by things like squirrels, birds, noises, people and other animals.
🐾 Keep all sessions short. Keep all your sessions about three to five minutes long every day. In the beginning, few minutes will be enough. As you build a solid foundation, you may be able to increase the time slowly. If your dog has lost interest, give him/her a break and stop your teaching session.
🐾 Multiple short sessions are more efficient than a single long session. It is better to have three sessions of 5 minutes in one day than having a 15-minute session at one time.
🐾 Bring your positive attitude. Your furry friend has been waiting for you ALL day and is excited to play with you! Bring your enthusiasm and happy face when training her. If you find yourself getting inpatient or your mood is not pawsitive – it is time for you to stop the training.
🐾 Be patient. Every dog learns at different speeds based on their abilities, experience, and many other factors. Thus, it is difficult to predict how long it will take for your dog to learn specific skills. If your dog cannot perform the behavior, very likely she is being asked to perform too much. Try to break the behavior into smaller steps.
🐾 End all your sessions on a positive note. Ask your dog to perform an activity she knows well at the end of every teaching session. That way she will always get a treat, and you will increase the odds of having her interested in training with you next time. Leave your dog happy and wanting more.
🐾 Have fun with your dog and enjoy learning new things together! Woof, woof!
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