How do you get your dog to stop fixating?

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.