|
|
|
"What exactly is the “Look” Command?" (NEW! 1/14/04) The “Look” command is one of the best commands to teach
your dog that you are his all-powerful master and that when you call, he must
stop what he’s doing and make eye contact with you. It is a focus exercise that
will help to get your dog to stop whatever he is doing and pay full attention to
you. The idea is to have the dog look up at you and make eye contact whenever
you call his name, whenever you click your tongue, or clap your hands, or snap
your fingers. You must be the center of your dog’s universe, the all-powerful
but benevolent leader, the keeper of the treats, the filler of the food bowl,
and the love of his life. "How do I get my dog to “Look” at me? When it is quiet in the house and the dog is relaxing nearby, make a noise to get the dog’s attention. Snap your fingers, click your tongue, just a quiet noise to get your dog to look up at you. As soon as your dog makes eye contact, praise your dog! Don’t be stingy with the praise, give lots of chest scratching, a good rubbing behind the ears, a deep down massage along the spine with your fingertips… It’s got to be a big ol’ tail-thumping, good dog praising for it to be effective. If your dog gives you a big happy-dog grin, and his tail is swinging so hard it wags the dog, you know you’ve done it right. If he yawns and walks away, or ignores you, you’re being too stingy! Make the praise worthwhile and vary it… sometimes it can be a good scratching behind the ears, other times it can be a quick game of fetch, or it can even be a few of his favorite treats that you keep in your pocket just for special occasions. Work on extending the length of time that your dog holds your eye contact. The longer the better! Try talking to him quietly and soothingly while he is looking at you. Make squeaky noises, or clicks and clucks and anything that will get your dog to look at your face. If your dog stares at you and cocks his head to the side with an inquisitive look, what an awesome bonus that is! He thinks you’re interesting! Keep it up! For those really hard to reach dogs, the ones that don’t have a clue that you are the bringer of all things tasty and the center of the universe, we’ll have to bring out the big guns… Find a treat that’s to ‘die’ for, something that your dog absolutely LOVES and cut a bunch of it up into very small pieces. Even a Great Dane should only get pea sized pieces of the treat! Keep a small supply of the treats in your pocket or some place very close by. Don’t make it something that you have to go into the refrigerator or cabinet and rustle around in a plastic bag for. It’s got to be out of sight but within easy reach, in your pocket or a bowl on the table next to where you’re sitting. NO amount of begging, pleading, mooching, drooling, groveling, or fainting from feigned starvation, should make you give the dog any of the treats without him earning them by doing the “Look” command! Take one of the treats and hold it out so the dog can get a whiff of it. Don’t give it to him though! Once he realizes that you’ve got the treat in your hand, bring your hand up directly in front of your face, and hold it right between your eyes and get your dog’s attention as explained above. The treat should only be an inch or two from your face when you're doing it right, and you should be looking past the treat with both eyes, to make eye contact with your dog. Your dog will undoubtedly look right up at you because you’re holding his treat right up there between your eyes. He might not make eye contact yet but for now, every time he looks up at your face (or at the treat) praise him and give him the treat. You will work on extending the time that you can hold your dog’s attention as described above, while still holding the treat up between your eyes. Within a very short time, you will only have to put your fingers up by your eyes (making believe you’re holding a treat) and saying “Look” to get your dog to look up at you. When he does, praise him a LOT as described previously. Occasionally give a treat, sometimes a tug game; sometimes a good roll-around-on-the-floor wrestling match will make him the happiest dog in the world. Then work on getting your dog to ‘look’ at you whenever you call his name or click your tongue and phase out the treats. The goal should be that with just a very quiet request, you're able to get him to turn around and look at you, breaking his concentration on that anti-freeze that he’s just getting ready to lick in the driveway, the baby bird that he’s got pinned between his paws, or that ball he’s ready to chase towards the road. It may seem like a simple, silly little thing, but it really can be a lifesaver. - Debbie Knatz |
|
PLEASE NOTE:
|
