Dogs are nosy creatures. Some are almost obsessive in their curiosity about what’s “over there.” You can indulge your dog and still maintain focus with the dog training game Looky-Loo!
Realistically, none of us lives on a solitary island. Our dogs, whether they’re just walking around the neighborhood or competing in dog sports, need to be familiar with their surroundings. That means being able to look around, take in the sights and smells around them, be calm, and get on with what they were doing. (We talked about this earlier, in our article, “Be Better Than Squirrel!“)
That’s the crucial part. The dog has to take in his/her surroundings without reacting negatively. Seeing, recognizing, and bringing attention back to “business.”
Looky-Loo set up
Like all 2-Minute-Training games, it starts in a quiet space with no distractions. Dogs have to learn how to play this new game before introducing distractions.
What you’ll need:
Training timer
Your dog on leash and collar
Treats
An object / toy your dog likes, small enough for you to hold easily
Clicker (Optional, but recommended
Playing Looky-Loo:
Session 1 – Set your timer for 2 Minutes. Turn it on. Stand with your dog close in front of you. If your dog doesn’t have a decent “stay,” step on the leash. (Note: the leash should be long enough so your dog can stand up, sit, lie down, or move around, but not leave the area). Facing your dog, hold the toy in one hand behind your back. Swing the toy out so your dog can see it, say “Look!” and hide the toy behind you again. If your dog looks at your face, click and reward.
That’s it for the first session. You’re teaching your dog to look, then return focus to you. Looking at you is the goal of the game. Imagine how much better life would be if your dog looked at that squirrel, then back at you? And then calmly continued on your walk?
Keep in mind:
Some dogs will understand and start immediately looking at you after glancing at the object. Other dogs may take a while to get it. That’s okay. Stay at the first step as long as you need to for reliable understanding. When your dog gets it right about 75 percent of the time, then it’s time to move on.
Your dog glancing at the “look” object is good. We want our dogs to see what’s around them. But it’s not the point of the game. Dogs look at stuff, especially moving stuff. We expect the dog to look at the toy when we show it.
The objective of the game is bringing the dog’s attention back to you after the toy disappears again. That’s when the click and reward come – when your dog’s eyes meet yours.
Next week: Looky-Loo Part II