How to Train Your Dog to Look Where You Point

Getting your pooch to look where you point can be a great way to teach your pup a variety of commands. For example, if they’re misbehaving and playing up a bit why not point to their bed and teach them to go lie down? Teaching your pup to look where you point can also be useful in teaching pups their left from their right, as getting them to look where you point is the first step in this command. Teaching your pooch to look where you point is also a great way to teach obedience, as they are obeying your command and put their focus on pleasing you when you do this, making them understand who’s boss. Another useful benefit of your pooch knowing to look where you point is that if you want them to fetch something they can’t seem to find, all you would have to do is point to the object and your pupper would then know where it is.

A nice thing about this command is that it’s quite straightforward and should only take a few days for your pooch to master. However, it is important to learn as a basis for other basic obedience commands as mentioned above and for obedience training. Young pooches are the best to teach this command to and so they can be taught from as early as 9-10 weeks, so long as you give them a week to settle into their new home and be away from their mom. Adult dogs can also be taught this command, however, they may be a bit more set in their ways so be sure to persist a little harder with them. All breeds are suitable for learning the command, so long as their vision is good.

No expensive equipment is required, simply treats, a good attitude, a little bit of patience for your pupper to get to grips with what you’re explaining to them, and a clicker if you would like to do clicker training with your pooch. If teaching a young pup, make sure the treats are suitable or be sure to boil some chicken and cut the cooked meat into appropriately sized pieces. A quiet room that the pup does not associate with play would be the ideal setting for this command, make sure there are no distractions so that your pup pays you their undivided attention. It could also be favorable to have a good play with your pooch earlier on in the day so that they’ll be less easily distracted for the training, but make sure they’re not too tired so they can still concentrate.