Your puppy’s name should signal them to turn and look at you. We build this behavior by rewarding “check ins” when they look at us without verbal prompting, especially when out and about. Once they are checking in occasionally, we begin asking for attention by happily saying their name, when we think they will be able to look at us.
Initially, giving attention always gets rewarded with food, but as they improve, we only use food to reward attention when it takes a lot of effort, like around exciting distractions. If your puppy struggles to give attention when you ask, use a kissy noise or other high pitched noise to help them look at you. Eventually we even start looking to see if they will turn and look at you around distractions without your assistance.
Step 1
Capture your puppy’s Check Ins by watching them throughout the day or on an outing. If they look at you without your prompting, say, “Yes” and give them a treat. Do this until checking in with you becomes a routine behavior for them.
Step 2
When your puppy notices a distraction, call their name once. If your puppy does not turn around, use a kissy noise to help them look at you. When they turn their head towards you, say “Yes” and reward them. If they do not turn around to the kissy noise, then the distraction is too exciting; move away and try again on an easier distraction.
If they eagerly turn to you each time you say their name around distractions, you can try the optional Step 3.
Step 3
This is the more advanced version of attention. When your puppy notices a distraction, wait, and count to three in your head. If during that time your puppy thinks to turn around and look at you, then reward like above. If your puppy does not turn around, then call their name once and go back to step 2.
Eventually you can reward attention around easy distractions with praise and pets if your pup enjoys those activities. This skill is the foundation skill to many important things like leash walking and coming when called. We will also use Attention as part of a warm up to help prepare your pup for training.
Use praise, pets, and food to reward attention at the beginning of a training session, during a walk, or when the distraction level is high like around new people or dogs.