How do I train my dog to ignore distractions?

To train your dog to ignore distractions, management is key, let's start with the foundation to all dog training, management. This means we have to manage the situation and make it nearly impossible for our dog to get it wrong. For recall, this may look like a trailing long line, for loose lead this could mean avoiding certain streets or areas whilst the training is in progress. If your dog is a stealer of things in the house, making sure your sides are clear, the list goes on. Management sets you up for success so that you can train the issue more effectively. Your dog will not be on a long line forever, the long line training lead allows the dog to get it right so that when we remove the long line they have a big learning history of making the right choices. If we are struggling with excitement when seeing other dogs, is it going to be easier for them to think straight at a distance, or with a cockapoo doing a wiggle dance in front of them. The key here is to find your dog’s threshold, this is the distance at which they are alert and have noticed the distraction, but are not yet overwhelmed or overexcited. If we train at, or just below, our dog’s threshold we should see improvements, then, we can reduce the distance. As your dog learns to cope at each closer distance, their threshold distance reduces. We nearly always aim to keep dogs below their threshold when working because when your dog gets overexcited or anxious, adrenaline is released, adrenaline impairs a dog’s ability to think straight or do any form of learning. Consider the reward you are using, if your dog DESPERATELY wants to chase rabbits, and we call them back to give them a dry biscuit and a pat on the head, they probably aren’t going to be very impressed. Instead, consider replicating your dog’s desires in the way we reward them, if your dog loves to chase, have a super special recall chaser toy that they only get occasionally to reward them with. Lastly, we have to consider if our dog is getting enough appropriate opportunities to display the behaviours they want to, have a think about your dog’s biggest distraction, and then consider if they are getting enough time to express that behaviour in a more appropriate setting.