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Attention Trilogy Game

This game is the start of a solid responsiveness to your cues.

The recall cue you use may want to be something that isn’t as formal and sacred as your true recall where they come, sit in front and stay until released. You could say “This way” or “Here” for example, instead of “Come.” It’s up to you.

Name Response 10x

Name Response + Recall Cue 10x

Name Response + Recall Cue + Eye Contact 10x

Setup:

  • 30 repetitions total broken into 3 sets of 10 for a session.

  • Reward responsiveness to their name 10 times.

  • Take a break with release word “Ok”

  • Reward responsiveness to their name + recall cue 10 times.

  • Take a break with release word “Ok”

  • Reward responsiveness to their name + recall cue + eye contact 10 times.

  • End session with “Ok” and ignore dog for a couple minutes.

Shape the Behavior:

  1. Say “Get it,” toss a treat away from you, let dog go after it.

  2. Wait for them to turn back towards you, when they do mark “Free” and encourage them to come get the reward from you.

  3. You may need to encourage them to look back towards you at first!

  4. Repeat until they reliably turn back towards you after eating the treat every time.

Name Response:

  1. Say “Get it,” toss a treat away from you, let dog go after it.

  2. As the dog is actively eating the treat say their name.

  3. When they look at you mark “Free” and reward them close to your body.

  4. Repeat 10x then release for a short break with “ok”

  5. You will do the Name Response for all 30 repetitions if they are still having trouble responding to it before adding in the next step.

Adding the Recall Cue:

  1. Say “Get it,” toss a treat away from you, let dog go after it.

  2. As they are eating it say their name followed by your recall cue. “Fido Come!”

  3. Mark “Free” as they make their way to you and reward them close to your body.

  4. Repeat 10x then release for a short break with “ok”

  5. You will do the Name Response + Recall for all 30 repetitions if they are still having trouble responding to it before adding in the next step.

Adding Eye Contact:

  1. Repeat previous steps from above but now work on creating sustained eye contact when they come back to you. (If you are teaching “come” to mean sit in front of you then make sure you follow through with that. Or use a different recall for this exercise like “This way” or “Here”)

  2. Continue to mark and reward for prolonged eye contact; reward seconds 1/1/1/2/1/1/2/3/2/1/1 (ebb and flow as you increase eye contact duration)

  3. End session with “Ok” and ignore dog for a couple minutes.

  4. You should have done 30 repetitions total and the training session is over.

NOTE:

You’ll know it went well if when you are done they are still interested in working with you and wanting to keep going. This is how every lesson should end.