#1 Practicing "eye contact training" can be a great asset for your dog.
The training is easy, so you can create purposeful dog training moments. It only needs to take 5 minutes once, or preferably twice a day to achieve quick results.
This article will help you understand your puppy's learning pace. It will also help you adapt to your pup's level of intelligence and speed of learning so that you can more easily teach your dog correctly.
Dogs are natural learners, and they can be trained to do a variety of tasks. One of the most important skills that a dog should learn is eye contact.
Eye contact training is an essential component of any dog's education, as it will prepare them for any situation where eye contact with humans is necessary. This training also helps to establish a connection between the dog and their human which can lead to more acceptable behavior in the future. Eye contact training teaches dogs how to look at their humans for all their important needs, such as security, safety, confidence, reassurance, protection, approval, and for their food.
Have you ever been at a dinner party or at a meeting and felt that people were avoiding eye contact? This occurs because it is human nature to feel uncomfortable when someone is staring at them. However, by training dogs to lock onto you, they learn how to read human gestures and body language to feel more comfortable in social settings.
Although pets have been domesticated for thousands of years, they still retain some instincts from their wild days which can make them uneasy in social settings. This is because back in the day, dogs primarily relied on their senses to survive. Their number one sense is that of smell. They can smell a human from over 100 yards away. Hearing helps a dog be aware of what may be around a corner. However, sight can be all over the place and can cause a dog to go from present moment (front brain) to instinct (back brain).When we think about the human senses, we usually start with touch, followed by smell. What most people don't know is that dogs' eyesight, smell, and hearing are much better than ours.
#2 Why eye contact is important.
It's important for your puppy dog to be watching you. You are the "head of the household”, you are the pack leader who they look to for food, direction, and safety.
Eye contact is a way of communicating and building trust with your pet. It is important for your puppy dog to be watching you, as this helps keep your dog in present moment (front brain) so they are not bouncing all over the place which might get them in trouble or in a dangerous situation.
Eye contact is one of the most important ways you communicate with your pet. It's important that your dog be looking at you and not something else, as it is a sign of trust. When your pup looks at you, they are telling you that they are comfortable and trusting in your presence. At this point, they are looking to you for direction.
#3 Duration
How long your dog keeps their attention on you helps keep them safe. If they become curious and are no longer locked on you they may wander away and get into something that can harm them. If you teach eye contact with duration and “check-ins” then they will keep coming back to you and help keep them out of trouble or worse yet something that can cause illness or even death.
#4 Get your pup to be constantly looking at you for instruction and guidance.
This makes them confident; they will always look to you for reassurance, even checking in with you during playtime.
This is a great way to build a strong bond with your pup.
Dogs are pack animals and need a leader if they are not one. When they are not getting the attention they crave, they can become insecure and act out in destructive or frightening ways. The more time you spend with your pup, the more confident they will be in themselves because they will always know that you are there to support, and lead them.
#5 Distance while training.
How far can your puppy dog get before looking back at you? Distance eye contact training teaches them to check in with you all the time, no matter where they are or what's going on.
Dogs are natural pack animals, meaning they need to be with a member of their own species, in order to feel happy and fulfilled. The only exception is when they have a human being with whom they have a special bond. With distance eye contact training, you teach your dog that checking in with you is always the right choice.
Distance eye contact training is an important skill that every dog should learn. Just like humans, dogs are social animals and learn better with nurturing, and positive reinforcement. Distance eye contact training can be the difference between a dog who always checks in with you vs. one who doesn't.
Try keeping some kibble in your pocket, this will help your puppy dog conceptualize that constantly being locked onto you should be happening anywhere, anytime.
Getting your pup to be constantly looking at you for instruction and guidance is a great way to help them become confident. Puppies are eager to please and want nothing more than to have your approval. This means that they will be happy to learn from you with a little patience and perseverance on your part.
The key to success is consistency. You need to teach them the same behavior, repeatedly, until they get it right.
Reach out if you are wanting a plan designed to help you and your puppy dog with eye contact training. You can also check out my short introduction to eye contract training I have on my Instagram account. Just click here to check it out.
Most important of all is to make it fun!!
