Located in Rudy, Arkansas
Serving Fort Smith, Van Buren, and surrounding areas
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Located in Rudy, Arkansas
Serving Fort Smith, Van Buren, and surrounding areas

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Watch Me

TOOLS:

  • Clicker
  • Treats

 

TRAINING ENVIRONMENT: Start in the least distracting (most boring) place in your home.

RECOMMENDED TREAT POSITION: Start in place, if your dog starts staring at you, toss the treat behind him.

STEPS:

  • Face your puppy.
  • Take a step back.
  • When your puppy follows you, click and produce the treat, hold it in front of your face, and lower it to your puppy’s mouth. Make sure he has all four paws on the ground before you give it to him.
 
  • After three or four repetitions, pause and wait for your puppy to look up when you stop moving without producing the treat.
  • Click and treat your puppy (in place) when he/she looks at you.
  • Repeat this three or four times.
  • Stop moving.
  • Wait for your puppy to look up.
  • Click for any look above your waist.
  • Toss the treat behind your puppy.
  •  Repeat this three or four times.
 
  • When he/she returns the fifth time, click for any look above your chest.
  • Toss the treat behind your puppy.
  • Repeat this three or four times.
 
  • When he returns the next time, click for any look in the direction of your face.
  • Toss the treat behind your puppy.
  • Repeat this three or four times.
 
  • When he returns the next time, click for eye contact.
  • Toss the treat behind your puppy.
  • Repeat the last two steps until your puppy is staring at you after retrieving his treat.
 
  • Begin to say “Watch Me!” every time he turns back towards you.
  • When he looks at your face, click and toss a treat.
  • It will take 20-50 repetitions before your dog connects the verbal “Watch me!” to the behavior of looking at your face.
 

HOMEWORK:

Note:  You will not get through all of the steps in one day.  Count out 5-10 treats and work until they are gone, then take a break.

  • PUPPIES: Practice five repetitions, five times each day.
  • DOGS: Practice ten repetitions, three times a day.
 

AT THE END OF THIS STEP:
Your puppy should be looking at your face when you get out your training equipment.

TROUBLESHOOTING:

My puppy won’t follow me.

  • Some puppies are alarmed at heavy footsteps. Try moving more quietly.
  • Try luring your puppy for a few repetitions in the first step.
  • Hold the treat right in front of his nose and step backwards.
  • When he moves toward the threat, click and give it to him.
  • Try a less distracting environment.
  • Give him a moment to explore the environment. If he doesn’t stop, try a less distracting environment or put him on a leash. You can also work in an x-pen if you have one.
  • Take him for a walk or play an active game to get out any pent-up energy, then try again.
  • Consider what you are using to reward him. When first acquiring a behavior, your dog will only work for you if you pay him with something he likes.

My puppy won’t look at my face.

  • Some dogs have a hard time staring us in the eye, which means you’ll have to spend more time on the first section.
  • As a last resort, a trick to get your dog to look at your face is to use human grade food and store it in your mouth.  When you need to treat, take a piece from your mouth and hand it to your dog.  It’s not very pleasant, but it really works.