Attention, Please!
Engagement Training will help your dog understand that paying attention to the handler (you), and ignoring
the environment (people, animals, things) is indeed a very rewarding behavior. Rewarding behaviors are likely
to be repeated.
While engagement training will help your dog to focus on you and ignore its environment, it may never LIKE
new people, places or things. However, knowing that it’s their job to be attentive to you will help them direct
their energy into something constructive, instead of obsessing over the things that bother them. Over time,
your dog may perceive the things that usually bother them as less and less threatening. However, it is your
job, as the handler, to continue to be vigilant and protect your dog from its fear or aggression triggers.
Strategies for Success:
· Your dog should be kenneled and bored for 2 hours prior to any training.
· Most dogs find food very rewarding, so for engagement training we use food. The food should be
something your dog likes. It should be small (like the size of the first knuckle of your pinky) and easy to
swallow.
· They should be hungry (motivated) to work.
· For this entire week of training, your dog should not eat out of a bowl. They should receive all of their
meals through Engagement Training. Measure out the appropriate amount of food, and put it in your training
pouch. You are ready to engage!
· Do not let people or animals approach your dog at any time during your training session.
· If your dog has trouble focusing on you, continuously and rapidly reward after marking for focus
(jackpot!).
The Plan:
Days one through three - Take your dog out on a leash and training collar in a low distraction environment
(like a quiet room in your house or your backyard). Stand there and wait for your dog to look at you or move
towards you. Mark (“X!”) and reward while moving backwards in a straight line. Repeat this process twice per
day, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the dog has finished their meal.
Day four - Testing, testing….. Take your dog out on a leash and training collar in a new environment. Your
new ‘place’ should have some distractions, but should not be so distracting that your dog can’t possibly focus
on you. Stand there and wait for your dog to look at you or move towards you. Mark (“X!”) and reward while
moving backwards in a straight line. Repeat this process twice per day, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the dog has
finished their meal.
Days five through seven – Take your dog to as many new locations as possible for Engagement Training.
Video example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2M5cTCdHms