How do you get your dog to stop fixating?

When you see other dogs, turning around is a good option, but making your dog sit while other dogs are nearby could be very stressful and difficult for him. Instead, when you turn around, try to get to a safe distance away from the other dog. There is SOME distance that your dog can be from other dogs without fixating on them, even if it is a football field or more. You want to try to keep him at this distance so that he is able to look at the other dog without fixating and will be able to take treats from you and pay some attention to you. If he does see the other dog and starts to fixate or otherwise react, simply move him to his safe distance and try clicking/treating from there. You will very gradually be able to decrease this distance. Another option is using Behavior Adjustment Training, which teaches dogs to give polite signals that mean that they want to get away from the other dog, and they also learn that you will respect what they are telling you and you will give them the distance that they want. BAT works best when you have set up the situation, such as having a friend with a calm, friendly dog meet you in a big, quiet field, and you start out with your dog far enough away that you know he will not fixate. Once your dog notices the other dog, stop moving forward, and wait for your dog to turn his head away from the dog or sniff the ground, then tell him "yes!" or "good!" and jog about 15 feet away. If your boy gets fixated at any time, just go back to a further distance.

To help your dog relax and learn to break their focus, you need to teach them to switch their attention from one thing to another. Start with toys, as most dogs that fixate do so with toys. Play with your dog for a few seconds with one toy, then bring out another toy while holding the first one still, and wait for your dog to release it. If he hasn’t released after a few seconds, you can try moving the new toy around to see if it will get him to switch focus. When your dog finally starts to play with the new toy, reward him enthusiastically and give lots of praise for switching his focus. As you build upon this training, you can switch your dog’s attention from something you don’t want him staring at to something you do want him to focus on. You can also teach your dog a “watch me” or “look at me” cue which means to give extended eye contact, and treat your dog every time he offers to give you eye contact on his own. Distancing him from the item will also make switching focus less difficult. Just keep practicing, and he’ll build his focus. You can also help your dog by teaching him that it’s okay to fixate on you, and you can do this by teaching him a cue that means to “fixate” on your hand while on a walk. Teach your dog to look at the thing he wants to fixate on and then look back at you to be rewarded. Remember, some things your dog fixates on will be harder for him to turn away from, but with practice, he will learn to switch his focus.

I use a mix of visual cues, food, movement, my voice to redirect their attention away from something. This combo usually works, especially if I practice it a bunch without the distraction or trigger around. I will walk up the leash to my dog, rather than trying to pull them to me. I’ll then put a tasty treat right to their nose – don’t forget to ensure you’ve got some pretty high-value treats – before shuffling backward and using my voice to encourage them to move with me. Here, I’m able to use my full mix of visual cue, food, movement, and voice. I use this if I’m worried my dog is going to bark or lunge at something, or if we are stuck in a dangerous place like a narrow trail with people approaching. Remember, positive reinforcement is always best.