Only nine per cent of dog owners say their pet has never ignored a command because their attention was elsewhere
Dog owners across the nation are in agreement that their furry friends are ‘easily distracted’. Whether it’s seeing other dogs on walks or someone ringing the doorbell, it’s easy for their dogs to lose focus. Typically, four in ten say their dog gets distracted when the post arrives, or when a cat strolls by.
Only nine per cent said their dog has never ignored a command because their attention was elsewhere. While the majority of dog owners admire the fact Guide Dogs seem to be able to ignore distractions, two thirds said their pet would never have the focus needed to become one themselves.
Karen Brady, who works as a training and behaviour business partner at Guide Dogs – the organisation behind the study – commented: “Taking your dog on a walk is great for both the dog and the owner.”
However, she also pointed out: “while you can’t eradicate all distractions and make your dog resistant to them all, it’s important to know how to regain control and calm your dog down.”
In an innovative approach to training, Guide Dogs use a life-like toy squirrel fastened to a remote-controlled car, which helps the dogs ignore tempting distractions.
It’s suggested that mimicking an everyday situation in a controlled environment can eliminate your dog’s urge to chase after distractions such as a squirrel or car in other environments. For guide dogs this means they’re able to focus on their job.
Karen added: “Dogs are intelligent beings. By positively reinforcing specific actions, we can train our dogs to resist the temptation to chase a squirrel up a tree, or other forms of wildlife they might come across whilst out and about.”
“It is not really common knowledge that we employ such techniques, so putting a spotlight on our squirrel car helps to broaden the awareness of how we train our dogs and get them ready to perform vital duties as Assistance Dogs,” she adds.
KAREN BRADY’S TOP TRAINING TIPS:
Focus on what you do want
Rather than thinking, ‘I want my dog to stop chasing something’, instead, think, ‘I want my dog to act with this specific behaviour’ as the goal. This gives you and your dog something to focus on teaching, like a really good sit action.
Patience makes perfect
Practice does too, but start with small expectations. A dog that has spent a year chasing squirrels isn’t suddenly going to listen to you because you’ve decided to train them. Teach your dog to do the behaviour you want them to do away from all the distractions to begin with.
Train with something your dog really likes
You’re competing with squirrels or cats, so you need something your dog values. That could be some roast chicken, their favourite treats, or a beloved toy. When they get it right, they get their prize.
Break it down
We never start training in the park full of squirrels and we certainly don’t try to teach everything at once. We teach a specific behaviour through reinforcement training, then gradually bring in the distraction.
As training progresses, we’ll combine behaviour and the distraction. Gradually your training drills will go so well that your dog will automatically check in with you, ignore the distraction, sit, or continue guiding to their next kerb or walking politely on lead beside you.
Be kind to yourself
When it goes wrong, take a deep breath and plan for next time. Even the professionals make mistakes, we simply make it easier for the dog next time, and build up to the distraction at a slower rate. Slow and steady builds longer lasting results and resilience than rushing through the process.
