The number one priority for every Basic Obedience class at WOOFS! is something we call Voluntary Attention. Simply put, voluntary attention is the ability of the dog to pay attention to their human in a distracting environment without requiring the human to use the leash or to constantly signal to the dog to respond. We make it so reinforcing for the dog to pay attention to the owner that they do so voluntarily, even with duration.
This underpins our training philosophy which is that the dog does not HAVE to do anything you ask. A well trained dog WANTS to do what you ask because there is a history of reinforcement behind the behavior. I don’t ever want to force a dog to listen or make them feel like they don’t have an option. Every dog I train has the option to do what I ask or not. It is my job as the trainer to get them to WANT to do it. We start with voluntary attention because if the dog doesn’t even want to pay attention to it’s handler how on earth are you ever going to get it to do anything else? You can’t train a dog that won’t work with you.
Only after we have excellent voluntary attention do we train “the basics”, like sit, down stay, and come. The two most important skills for every dog? A solid recall and a solid down stay. With these two skills, your dog is actually quite well-trained. A dog in a down isnʼt jumping, and can wait for a door to open or for the food bowl to be placed. A dog who comes when called isn’t running around, chasing other dogs, and can be called off of distractions. But in order to get a lovely stay or a lovely come when called, dogs must first be able to check in and pay attention to their human.
How do we teach Voluntary Attention?
- With your dog on leash, wait for your dog to look at you.
- When your dog looks at you, immediately click and toss a treat
- Wait again for your dog to look at you, and repeat
Tips for Success
- Be prepared to truly wait for your dog to look at you. Yes, it feels strange at first, but it is perfectly okay if your dog looks around a bit before looking back to you.
- Keep your hand anchored at your waist (“Leash Hand Home”). Keep your leash short so that your dog has fewer opportunities for distraction.
- Struggling? Upgrade your treats or move somewhere with fewer distractions.
With a little bit of practice (and patience!), you can teach your dog to check in with you as a matter of routine. Need more help? Come on in and practice in Puppy Basic Obedience or Adult Basic Obedience classes at WOOFS!
