How to Train Your Dog to Look

Picture this all too common scenario:

You and your pooch are out for a weekend stroll in the local park. The park is fairly empty and, so far, your morning exercise and bonding time are going swimmingly. As you turn around a bend, however, children kick a ball from the playground area onto the walking path. Fido instantly spots the ball and sees only an opportunity for a game of fetch. Before you know it, you’re tugging and pulling, yelling out “Fido, no!” and generally making a scene in front of the whole neighborhood. If this sounds familiar, never fear. There’s an easy to teach obedience command that not only can help with this common scenario but that also sets the foundation for training tons of other fun and useful doggy behaviors and tricks.

When it comes to dog training 101, the ‘look’ command is perhaps one of the most useful behaviors in your learned behavior arsenal. ‘Look’ involves your dog making eye contact with you, or in more advanced forms, focusing their gaze on whichever object you may indicate. ‘Look’ is incredibly useful for getting your pooch’s attention on you and off of other potential distractions. ‘Look’ also teaches your dog to “check in” with you often, building a solid foundation in which they rely on you for cues as to proper doggy etiquette. Because of this, ‘look’ is widely considered to be one of the foundational doggy behaviors and one that, once mastered, can make training other behaviors easier.

Every good doggy training session begins with preparing the tools you’ll need to get the job done right. Pet owners that are embarking on a training regimen with their pooch may want to have a doggy training bag ready to go in order to facilitate impromptu lessons in a variety of scenarios. Here are a few things that will be essential to making training fun for both you and your pup:

• Dog treats: Treats or cookies should be small and easily eaten in one bite. If you give your dog cookies normally, think something about ½ to ¼ the size of a normal cookie. You should have several “values” of treats such as plain cookies, cheese and even small pieces of meat, to reward your pooch for that extra good behavior.
  
• Treat pouch: A treat pouch that hooks onto your belt or attaches at the waist is a great way to keep your hands free for treating while training your pet.
  
• Quiet, distraction-free space: When training any new behavior, set your dog up for success by starting out in a quiet, distraction-free space such as the living room, backyard or familiar (empty) park.
  
• Pick a command: Choose a word or “cue” for your ‘look’ behavior. “Watch”, “look” and “me” are all common cues. Avoid using your dog’s name for teaching ‘look’ as that can cause confusion for your pooch when their name is used conversationally or by others.

Just like their humans, each dog has a different way of learning new behaviors. Below are three methods and progressions to try on for size when it comes to teaching the look command.