Life Skills Class week 4

Eye Contact

Eye contact with distractions:

Throw a treat away from your dog. Wait till they check in with you then give them their release cue or use the cue "find it" as their release cue

This way:

A "this way" cue can be very useful to get your dog to move away from a distraction and reconnect with you.

I like to use "this way" as an alternative to a "leave it" cue.

What can you use this cue for:

Getting your dog to move away from other dogs

Stopping your dog from jumping up on people passing by

Preventing your dog from picking up food on the floor

Getting your dog to stop sniffing for so long

Step one:

Grab 6 small treats and hold them in your hand

Say your cue "this way"

Place a treat on your dogs nose

Lure your dog with the treat while you turn around and start drip feeding while you move

Step two:

Step up a distraction

Place a bowl with food on the floor

Make sure your dog is on lead

Start to approach the bowl

Before you get too close

Say you cue "this way"

Turn away from the bowl

Drip feed your dog for 6 steps

Step three:

Walk passed the food bowl

Say your cue "this way" as you pass the bowl

Drip feed till you are far enough away from the bowl

Step four:

Walk passed the food bowl

Say your cue "this way" as you pass the bowl

Feed just once when your dog looks away from the bowl and towards you

Step five:

Try using different distractions

This way

How to play tug:

Tug is a great way to play and bond with your dog. There are a few rules that come with tug though and they are ..

Make sure you use a long toy
Your dog can't grab your hands
They must be calm and give you eye contact before they can have the toy
Your dog should drop the toy on cue
Keep the toy nice and low to the ground to encourage that all 4 paws stay on the floor
Break up your tug sessions every 30 seconds so that your dog doesn't get too over aroused.