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How to Get a Dog to Listen to You When They are Distracted

How to Get a Dog to Listen to You When They are Distracted

Sometimes it can feel like your dog listens perfectly while the two of you are on your everyday, quiet walking route, but when you decide to visit a pet-friendly store or are at a busy dog park their listening skills go right out the window. It’s a frustrating feeling, and you’re not alone. These busy or new places are filled with exciting distractions for your dog and it’s often difficult for them to remember they need to pay attention to you first. But by practicing behaviors and reinforcing cues—and remembering that raising your voice and tugging at their leash isn’t the best route—you will build a stronger bond and trust with your dog and you’ll be ready for many more adventures, with much less stress.

Follow the listed steps provided by Petco’s positive dog trainers to learn how to get your dog to listen when they are distracted. These tips will provide you with a better understanding of what to do the next time this happens and what training focus exercises you can practice to reinforce your dog’s attention on you.

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Tips on how to get a dog’s attention when they’re distracted

  1. Start small: Don’t expect your pet to be able to shift attention back to you in a crowded dog park right away. Start in your backyard and add distractions little by little.
  2. Time the reward properly: Provide an incentive-based reward immediately when you first start training for things like eye contact or attention, then gradually change the rewards as your dog progresses in training.
  3. Give the right types of rewards: Be sure to provide high-value treats that your dog will appreciate and look forward to receiving, as working around distractions require a lot of focus and energy from your dog.
  4. Add in the 3 D’s: Once your pet has mastered the backyard, you can try branching out. This includes adding the 3 Ds—distance, distractions and duration — to build the behavior you want in your dog when you are out in a more advanced setting.
  5. Cue known behavior: A cue in dog training is a signal or phrase used to communicate to our dog what we want them to do, or what will earn them a reward/reinforcer. Once your dog starts to grasp the concept of returning their attention to you when they are distracted, try adding in an easy-to-follow cue , like “look,” so that your pet will more quickly and easily understand what you want from them when you’re out and you need to get their attention.
  6. Practice, practice, practice: As with all dog training, the more you practice, the better your dog—and you—will become at the ask. Once you start working on how to get a dog’s attention, make a commitment to stick with those dog training focus exercises.
  7. Set realistic expectations: Especially for young dogs who are very easily distracted, don’t expect them to pick up training in a day. It might take a while for your pup to fully grasp the concept, but once they do, you’ll both be a lot happier.

For more support and information on working with your dog or to book a positive reinforcement dog training class, visit your local Petco or find a class online. Happy training!

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