How do you distract a fixated dog?

Increasing your distance from the distraction is one of the first things to consider. Get success with one element of the DII and only then introduce others. Rating your dog’s distractions will let you know what is fair to expect of your dog with the education you have given him in the environment he is in. Start where your dog can have success and grow that success. Only work on one element of the Distraction Intensity Index at one time. The more education your dog has, the more he’ll be able to face by way of distractions without losing focus on you. The intensity of the distraction will reduce for your dog with your commitment to helping him. Value: The first is the value of the distraction to your dog. Use a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being lowest and 10 the highest. How much does your dog want whatever it is? Distance: You’ll need to know how far or how close the distraction is for your dog. When putting in a number, it’s arbitrary. Say the distraction is a bunny. If the bunny is one foot away, the number you put in might be 1000 or 10,000, whatever you decide. If the bunny is a mile away, then that value might be a 1. Choose a number based on your dog’s distractions. If you are consistent with your arbitrary number your DII calculation will always be relevant for you. Senses Engaged: What senses does the distraction engage for your dog? Sight, sound, smell. Depending on your dog, some senses will be higher rated than others. Movement: Is the distraction on the move? If so, the number you put in will likely be higher than if the distraction is not moving. You decide based on your dog. Your goal with your DII calculation is to get the number down so you can work through the distraction challenge with your dog. What do you need to do to reduce that number? Cats, squirrels, chipmunks, bicycles, kangaroos, children, birds, balls, food, lizards, butterflies, dogs, people …. the list of your dog’s distractions will depend on your dog, and while many can be used to your advantage some should be off limits. We still need to deal with our dog’s off limit distractions, but they can’t be used as rewards.