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How do I increase engagement with my dog?
Onie O'Keefe
2025-08-02 07:59:33
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One of the very first things a top dog trainer knows we must teach a dog is simply to pay attention to us humans. A dog who is ENGAGED knows that payments come from their handler and is motivated to work with their human. Before we can ask a dog to follow commands, have good manners, or be safe off leash, we must show them that listening to us is in their best interest. Practice these 5 tips to work on getting better engagement with your dog.
Hand feeding: teaching your dog to focus on you by feeding from the hand may sound basic but it works. Teach tricks: you may not use tricks in day to day life but tricks give you the opportunity to teach your dog about learning, how your payment system and communication works, and keeps your dog focused on you.
Teach your dog a look or focus command and pay them when they do it. A dog that is watching you is 100% engaged and ready so that when you do start to ask them for more complicated behaviors, they are committed. Engagement should be fun, build your dog’s drive to stay engaged with you by making a game out of it. Sneak off with some tasty treats and call your dog to find you.
Nils Weimann
2025-07-22 16:52:40
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: 19
Training should be a fun experience for you and your dog. He learns some new tricks, you learn how to communicate with him better, and the bond is strengthened on both ends of the leash. If you and your dog are both having fun, then the dog will be much more engaged. Move around, use a lot of verbal praise in addition to the food and toy treats. Find the right motivators, having something that really turns your dog on can make the difference in a dog that wants to repeat behaviors and a dog that is yawning after one rep of an exercise. Keep training sessions very short and do more short sessions throughout the day instead of one long session, use lots of reinforcement and make it very high value, in the form of enticing treats and toys. If you lose your dog, then do something very short and easy that you are sure your dog can do successfully, and end the session on a positive note. Playing with your dog can also be a reward. Sometimes you need to get very creative as a trainer.
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Otho Koch
2025-07-22 12:30:29
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: 15
Make your relationship MATTER to your dog. I hand feed my dog(s) and I put up toys so when I pull them out, I have my dogs undivided attention. Practice having your dog drag the leash IN the house to start. I use their dog food and hand feed and walk with them in the house giving dog food when your dog makes eye contact. Extend the amount of time they pay attention to you by giving rapid fire rewards and hand feeding. Mark and Reward Eye contact whenever your dog offers it. Play hide and seek with your dog. This will help to build engagement and teach your dog that finding you is FUN and rewarding. Use treats, toys petting and praise to engage your dog when they find you. Help them learn that paying attention to you is beneficial. A dog who has practiced engagement is easier to train, has a stronger bond, can better handle distractions, and enjoys the training experience.