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HELP with focus/recall etc

2K views 25 replies 9 participants last post by  gsdlover91 
#1 ·
How did YOU go about getting your dog to 100% focus on you, on command?

I use WATCH ME, but he only glances at me for a few seconds, I cannot get his full attention. What are some methods you guys used to get rock solid focus from your dog? I train with a clicker and treats/praise at the moment.

Also, how in the WORLD do you acquire a fullproof recall? One in which if you call your dog, he INSTANTLY stops what he's doing and comes right to you? Berlin's recall is okay...but I wouldn't trust him off leash, or to come to me with distractions around.

I had class with him last night, and was frustrated because he did everything except focus on me and the commands. I think he was tired (from playing in the snow before) and just didn't want to be there...but I really want him to focus on me better.

Any tips/ideas/opinions are very much appreciated.

(I hope I survive this adolescent phase he is going through! :eek:)
 
#5 ·
Boiled chicken! LOL. I'm not sure, high value treats....and if i'm at home, attention from me. But if I am in public, I am not interesting enough anymore.

How are you marking the dog. When you say that he does not have complete focus in say the kitchen is this due to distractions or when I ask for focus even now in the kitchen for practice I will put the treat in spots where he can see and if looks at the treat he gets a not correct or eehh! and then when he looks in my eyes I say yes. Then I build from their.
I mark him with a click/treat when he looks at me, after I say "BERLIN, WATCH ME" He does glance up at me most of the time I say it, but it usually is only for a few seconds. I have been trying to lengthen the time, but have been having trouble getting a long focus..I do like your kitchen idea though.

Start small and work your way up

If he gives you two seconds of focus, click and treat. Next session ask for four, then next ask for six. Keep working towards better and longer focus

Also make yourself the most fun and important thing in their entire world. Food comes from you! Toys come from you! Playtime and fun revolves around you! The more important you are the more they watch and work with you, they'll be begging you for even a moment of attention

For instance when Delgado picks up a toy he brings it to me, he wants to play with me because I make the game so exciting!

When I do a recall I use my happiest COME HERE FOR A TREAT voice, both my dogs come running when I call. Even if it's just for a good scratch behind the ear or a hug, they know I'n calling them for something fun.
How long did it take you to get a lengthy focus? I have been trying to work up to a longer one, but he never looks for more than a few seconds. :confused:

I do try to make myself the most important and exciting thing to him, and always initiate fun play sessions with him. Berlin does love to beg for any attention from me...maybe I am just expecting too much at his age?

Thanks for the advice, I guess I am working in the right direction! I just need to work with him a little more I think. :)
 
#3 ·
How are you marking the dog. When you say that he does not have complete focus in say the kitchen is this due to distractions or when I ask for focus even now in the kitchen for practice I will put the treat in spots where he can see and if looks at the treat he gets a not correct or eehh! and then when he looks in my eyes I say yes. Then I build from their.
 
#4 ·
Start small and work your way up

If he gives you two seconds of focus, click and treat. Next session ask for four, then next ask for six. Keep working towards better and longer focus

Also make yourself the most fun and important thing in their entire world. Food comes from you! Toys come from you! Playtime and fun revolves around you! The more important you are the more they watch and work with you, they'll be begging you for even a moment of attention

For instance when Delgado picks up a toy he brings it to me, he wants to play with me because I make the game so exciting!

When I do a recall I use my happiest COME HERE FOR A TREAT voice, both my dogs come running when I call. Even if it's just for a good scratch behind the ear or a hug, they know I'n calling them for something fun.
 
#12 ·
I have done the spit the food out too. My preference is string cheese. The look on Stella's face was priceless the first few times. I am glad someone mentioned it on here. I had forgotten all about doing that. Will have to start again when doing focus work!:wild:
 
#15 ·
It's an hour long petsmart class. Very little time for her to really help us... After this session is ended we are headed to a real obedience school though. The petsmart trainer taught watch me by holding a treat by our eyes. After a while, he'd only look at the treat. So I bought a dog training book and utilized it to teach him how to look at ME when I say the command.


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#18 ·
Sorry for taking so long to reply, I had a dentist appointment then had to drive home through traffic. Neither was very fun :p

I started working with Delgado from day 1 when I brought him home at 9 weeks, he focused really well even at that age. He has great toy and food drive and I used those to my advantage. I always had a toy or treats around, I would walk around the house with him at my heels. I played with him and worked on obedience, sometimes I would just do whatever he wanted. If he brought me a toy I would play with him, we would go for long walks and just have fun, if he sat beside me I would be petting him.

By the time he started puppy classes at 13 weeks he could focus on me in the class and ignore the other dogs. He LOVES other dogs so that goes to show you ;)

I built on that bond, I literally am the light of his life and he does everything to make me happy. Focusing on me is rewarded either by a smile, a pat, treats, or toys. Right now I'm on my laptop and as I look over the top I see Delgado sitting in front of me watching my face, every so often he'll give a little whine and I know he wants me to put down the laptop so I can focus on him. He'll even "bribe" me with a toy, dropped conveniently in my lap ;) He's not pushy, he's not underfoot where I'm tripping on him, he's simply there a few feet away watching to see what I'm doing

Another thing you can do is remember dogs communicate mostly using their body, not their voice. I started training with hand motions then added in voice commands, a flick of my finger tells Delgado which direction I want him to walk or run, a raised eyebrow makes him sit quickly and focus on my face, a smile causes his tail to wag uncontrollably, a shake of the head tells him he's doing something wrong. It goes either way, he tells me with a glance where he wants to go, a tilt of the head tells me he's listening carefully, his eyes tell me whether he's happy or upset, a toothy grin tells me he's feeling goofy. You don't need words to communicate most of the time ;)

I hope that helps explain a bit, it's hard to describe in words :)

Now I'm finished typing and he's lying on his bed beside me dozing, I have to go finish dinner but I know I won't be alone in the kitchen when I walk into there :D

Enjoy your time with Berlin, everything you do with him builds the bond so don't focus so much on the bad and reward the good. Puppy time lasts only so long and it's gone in a blink of a eye :)
 
#19 ·
I started working with Delgado from day 1 when I brought him home at 9 weeks, he focused really well even at that age. He has great toy and food drive and I used those to my advantage. I always had a toy or treats around, I would walk around the house with him at my heels. I played with him and worked on obedience, sometimes I would just do whatever he wanted. If he brought me a toy I would play with him, we would go for long walks and just have fun, if he sat beside me I would be petting him.

I do this stuff with Berlin also, he is velcroed to me and literally follows me EVERYWHERE (even the bathroom :crazy:) SO, his attention is on me, MOST of the time lol I take him on walks all the time, play with him, pet him, cuddle him.....I mean, I'm a fun person!

By the time he started puppy classes at 13 weeks he could focus on me in the class and ignore the other dogs. He LOVES other dogs so that goes to show you ;)

But this is where it differs, because certain dogs ber could care less about, but others he JUST HAS to play with and will not pay attention.

I built on that bond, I literally am the light of his life and he does everything to make me happy. Focusing on me is rewarded either by a smile, a pat, treats, or toys. Right now I'm on my laptop and as I look over the top I see Delgado sitting in front of me watching my face, every so often he'll give a little whine and I know he wants me to put down the laptop so I can focus on him. He'll even "bribe" me with a toy, dropped conveniently in my lap ;) He's not pushy, he's not underfoot where I'm tripping on him, he's simply there a few feet away watching to see what I'm doing

Reading about your bond with Delgado is so beautiful! How a bond with a dog should be. I like to think I am the light of Berlins life as well, as I am the most important thing in his life. He is ALWAYS so happy to see me, no matter how long ive been gone, he cannot even contain his excitment. He looks for me when i'm gone, and after a while will sometimes go and grab one of my hoodies or blankets from my bed and bring it in his crate (AW) so I know I have some importance to him! LOL Berlin does the same thing when im on my laptop, he gives me the pouty face, will bring toys to bribe me, and eventually will try and physically remove the computer LOL!

Another thing you can do is remember dogs communicate mostly using their body, not their voice. I started training with hand motions then added in voice commands, a flick of my finger tells Delgado which direction I want him to walk or run, a raised eyebrow makes him sit quickly and focus on my face, a smile causes his tail to wag uncontrollably, a shake of the head tells him he's doing something wrong. It goes either way, he tells me with a glance where he wants to go, a tilt of the head tells me he's listening carefully, his eyes tell me whether he's happy or upset, a toothy grin tells me he's feeling goofy. You don't need words to communicate most of the time ;)

I have trained some commands with gestures as well, he knows sit, down, stay and stand with hand motions. I really like how you know Delgado so well! I hope one day I can read Berlin that well, and he can read my little hand motions and know exactly what I mean.

I hope that helps explain a bit, it's hard to describe in words :)

Now I'm finished typing and he's lying on his bed beside me dozing, I have to go finish dinner but I know I won't be alone in the kitchen when I walk into there :D

Enjoy your time with Berlin, everything you do with him builds the bond so don't focus so much on the bad and reward the good. Puppy time lasts only so long and it's gone in a blink of a eye :)
Thank you so much for explaining all this, and I loved reading about how strong your bond is with Delgado. :wub: What a lucky pup he is! I will definitely take all this advice to heart and try and strenghten our bond even more. And yeah, puppy hood is gone in the blink of an eye! He is no longer the 16 pound fuzzball who could climb under my bed! He's a big boy now, but is still a puppy. :D
 
#20 ·
It's not something that happens overnight all the time, just like kids some have better focus then others :) Keep working at it, and if you get frustrated I found it helpful to think back a few weeks and see where we were at that point. You just might be surprised at how far you've come ;)
 
#21 ·
We make Gunner sit or down and " focus " on us before he can eat, go outside, entering or existing the house, and getting in the car. Soon I don't even have to say the word and he looks at me. Now when we are out in public, it takes a while but we had a big break through at petsmart the other day. In public, there are a lot of times where I have to tap on Gunner's head to remind him that he needs to look at me.

It takes time, just make sure you reward every time your dog looks at you. Slowly start to push the limit of how long your dog needs to look at you. You can always use tasty treats like hot dogs, turkey or ham. I use Zuke's Minis (chicken flavor. Be care, they smell pretty strong.)
 
#22 ·
I just so happen to be struggling with this very thing right now, as a matter of fact!! I adopted my dog when he was already 4 1/2 years old, so his most crucial "imprinting" years did not involve any sort of attention on human whatsoever. So we're having to start over from the very beginning as if he were a puppy again. It's soooo tough getting his attention for longer than like 3 seconds, but I'm going to take it nice and slow, and see if we can work our way up to longer periods of attention, and then maybe even looking at me while foosing. :) We'll see about the foosing part though.... ;) I'm excited to read everyone's suggestions on how to achieve better focus!
 
#24 ·
How old is your pup?

How many other distractions are there?
If the dog isn't paying attention to you - my bet is that there are too many other things going on. The standard answer to a training issue is the one word answer of: SIMPLIFY. In this case, I would change the environment to one with fewer distractions.
 
#26 ·
He is 7 months old. And depending where we are, there may be many distractions, or none. But i have simplified it, and he is focusing much better. When he can consistently do that, I will start to add distractions.

If you are starting to work on focus one way to try and do is have the dog sit in front of you facing you. Then grab a treat in each and and then stand like a capital T with each hand outstretched with a treat in it and closed. Be patient the dog will first look at the treat hand but if no reward is forthcoming he will eventually look you in the eye and that is when you say a yes! and then deliver a treat and start again to deliver from the other hand. Do this several times before even introducing the word you want for focus will make it go a little quicker. Then introduce the word when he is looking at you and go from there to build and have fun doing it.
Tried this, and it works well. Thanks!
 
#25 ·
If you are starting to work on focus one way to try and do is have the dog sit in front of you facing you. Then grab a treat in each and and then stand like a capital T with each hand outstretched with a treat in it and closed. Be patient the dog will first look at the treat hand but if no reward is forthcoming he will eventually look you in the eye and that is when you say a yes! and then deliver a treat and start again to deliver from the other hand. Do this several times before even introducing the word you want for focus will make it go a little quicker. Then introduce the word when he is looking at you and go from there to build and have fun doing it.
 
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