View Full Version : Attention Seeker
DandelionWish
Jun 3, 2011, 04:43 AM
hey, I have a 3month old Cavalier King Charles and we've just started going for little walks 2weeks ago... problem is we never really get anywhere! As soon as any stranger walks past or he hears a voice he plants him bum on the ground and refuses to move waiting for attention and if the stranger walks past without acknowledging him he will wine or bark and try to follow them (its rather embarrassing)... I've kept in touch with the breeder and she says another family who has one from the same litter is having the same issue.
Its not really a big problem, but would be nice to know how to get him moving more lol
shazamataz
Jun 3, 2011, 05:38 AM
I would practice teaching him to focus.
This is basically where you get the dog to only look at you and not its surroundings.
It can take some time, but it is well worth it.
Start in your home, first you need to teach the pup to sit.
After you have got the pup sitting on command you can make the sit last longer by adding the command "focus" or "watching" and hold the treat right in front of your face.
(You can do this with or without the pup sitting, I just find it easier to hold their focus on you)
If the pup does not look away, it gets the treat.
Next you can move up to the same thing, but with a family member walking past... again, only rewarding if the pup does not look away from you.
Gradually increase the activity around him until he is confident with the command.
Then it's time to take it outside, where there are much more distractions.
Although it is teaching the dog to basically look at you, it is also teaching it to ignore the distracting things around it.
DandelionWish
Jun 3, 2011, 10:43 AM
Thanks, that's great advice I'll pass that on to the other puppys family.
However..
I've tried 'Watch Me' and he knows sit,down,wait,paw,up,leave it and high 5 :P
He does all these great when in the house,will need more practice if he's ever going to listen outside
But he's not food motivated or toy motivated... he'll do these tricks for attention and petting at home though that's why I'm lost at getting him to focus on me when he can get attention from someone new...
I'll stick at it though.
shazamataz
Jun 3, 2011, 01:39 PM
If touching is what he likes most then use that as the reward.
When he holds the command for how ever long you deem acceptable, lavish him with pats and kisses.
Before and after the training sessions say for half an hour to an hour don't touch the dog, no petting, no attention, he will appreciate the reward more that way.
DandelionWish
Jun 11, 2011, 09:33 AM
This has really helped.Thank you :)