by Debbie Wolfe

English mastiffs Hera and Zeus pay attention. Photo: Deb Wolfe.

A dog trainer walks into a bar and says:

“May I have your attention, please?”

All heads turn her way.

Since childhood, we have been conditioned to respond to that announcement in anticipation of something important to come. Similarly, your dog should give you his undivided attention on request. Just like sit or shake, attention can easily be trained and is prerequisite to all other training. As one of my obedience instructors often admonishes, “If you don’t have his attention, you don’t have the dog!”

Many of the dogs I train at the local shelter must be taught this basic behavior. My heart breaks when I meet a smart, loveable dog who has been surrendered for lack of training. Learning to pay attention is our first order of business. Once the dog figures out something wonderful happens when he looks me in the eye, we can move on to sit, down, and other behaviors. Some dogs catch on within a few minutes. Sometimes it takes the entire hour class to convince the dog that I’m more interesting than the cute Chihuahua on the other side of the room.

Getting your dog’s attention on cue is handy in a variety of circumstances. Dogs are single-minded. If your dog is focused on you, he’s not looking at the cat, the approaching dog, or any other potentially frightening or dangerous distractions. Getting that attention is the first step in redirecting the dog to an alternate, acceptable behavior when he might otherwise behave badly. Teaching your dog what he should do, rather than punishing him for what he shouldn’t do, results in more reliable behavior and a happier pooch.

So let’s start training! The goal is for the dog to look you in the eye when you give the cue, and to maintain eye contact until you release him. Arm yourself with a handful of small but luscious treats and find a quiet, distraction-free room where you and your dog can work uninterrupted for about 10 minutes at a time.

Show the dog that you have a treat by holding it near his nose, then raise the treat to the bridge of your nose. The dog’s gaze should follow.

The instant the dog makes eye contact with you, mark the behavior with a happy “Yes!” and deliver the treat. Because the treat does not arrive immediately, marking the moment the behavior occurs helps the dog connect his behavior with the reward. The marker word tells the dog, “You won! Treat is coming!” Maintain eye contact while delivering the treat by moving it directly from your eyes to the dog’s nose.

Once the dog understands the game, add your cue. I use my dog’s name followed by “Watch!,” but any short word will do. To add the cue, say it before luring the dog’s gaze with the treat. When the dog begins to look up upon hearing the cue, stop luring.

Once the dog is reliably making eye contact on cue, up the ante by making him hold his gaze longer to earn his reward. Increase the time slowly so he’ll succeed. If he fails, reduce the time until he’s succeeding consistently.

Dogs don’t generalize readily. Once your dog is reliably giving attention in a quiet environment, repeat the exercise in different places, in different positions (with the dog sitting, lying down, standing and walking), and in increasingly distracting environments until he is reliably giving attention on cue no matter what is happening around him. Now you’ve got the dog!

If your dog exhibits aggression, strong prey drive, excessive fear or anxiety, or any other potentially dangerous adverse behavior, seek the help of a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist to assist you in his training.

Debbie Wolfe is an avid nature  photographer, dog rescue volunteer, and semi-retired IT project management consultant. She is working toward becoming a dog trainer and is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a national professional association promoting public awareness of dog-friendly training techniques. She lives with her husband and their two rescued English mastiffs in El Granada. Contact her at mastiff_mom@comcast.net.