The Theory of Focusing

Focus work is where I start with nearly every dog I work with. Whenever the dog makes eye contact with me, I mark it and give them a reward.

The utility of this is obvious for most owners. In order for a dog to learn anything, they have to be able to pay attention to their handler for a period of time. A dog that isn’t looking at you isn’t going to be able to learn very much from you.

However, the particular way I teach “Focus” sometimes leaves my clients a little perplexed. I tell them not to call their dog’s name or use any other cues they might already have established for getting their dog to look at them. Instead, I ask them to simply wait until the dog organically chooses to look their way.

I do this for one simple reason: I want the dog to learn to pay attention by default. I want them to learn that focusing on their handler is a good choice, whether they were asked to check in or not.

Recipe for Teaching Your Dog to Focus

1. Wait for your dog to look at you.

2. Say, “Yes!” (or click your clicker) the instant your dog looks at you. This lets him know he’s getting the reward for that behavior.

3. Toss his reward treat a foot or two away so he has to look away from you in order to retrieve it.

4. Repeat a few times, then give your dog a game of tug or fetch to help him process what he’s learned.

After Your Dog Masters the Basic Exercise: First, increase your criteria by having your dog make eye contact instead of just looking in your general direction. Then increase the duration your dog holds eye contact before you mark & reward. Five seconds of eye contact is an excellent goal to aim for!

NOTE: Some dogs might feel uncomfortable with you staring at them during this exercise. If this seems to be the case with your dog, it might be better to introduce them to training with “Touch,” another foundational cue that doesn’t technically require you to look at them at all.