How to Build Focus, Listening Skills

[Gracie's My Girl]

Training is a constant challenge for me. I have never owned a dog before and everything is a new skill to me.

I would love to know how to train my dog to focus on me and listen. Gracie is eight months old. Currently, the only time she will listen is when I have something she wants like a treat or a ball. For the rest of the time, she picks and chooses when she pays attention. I can see that this is a huge issue and I don't want it to continue. My best solution at the moment is reinforcing everything I say to her and I also practice NILIF.

I would love to know how others are able to build focus in their dogs so that they will listen and obey not matter what.

[sashadog]

Have you done obedience classes? Those are a huge part, IMO, of bonding between a handler and their dog. Teaching focus is often one of the first things to be worked on in a class. Also, a trainer could provide an outside perspective on the dynamics between you and your dog. While people on this forum can give you advice, it's difficult for us to tell you what exactly is going wrong in the communication between you and your pup. She may just be being a teenager or you may be having some big communication block that will only get bigger if you don't seek out some advice.

While it's not a training manual per se, I would suggest reading "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell. It is one of my favorites and she does a wonderful job of helping decode the way dogs communicate. This is turn can help you communicate more efficiently with your girl.

[Gracie's My Girl]

We are currently in an obedience class.

I will have to see if our library has that book. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Iannotti]

Check out this video:
Leerburg On Demand | Building Drive & Focus

bowwowflix.com also has a TON of videos on this that you can rent!