Name Game - Level 3

Name Game
Level 3: Respond to Name
with Distractions

You will learn:

Observation
Reinforcement

Your dog will learn:

Give attention
Respond to cue

The goal of this exercise is to strengthen your dog's response to his name in the presence of mild distractions.

uses for this behavior

Name Game Level 4.
Eye contact in response to name.
Focus on you in the presence of distractions.
Maintaining eye contact with you when outdoors or when separated.
Frequent "check-ins" for possible new cues or when in doubt or concerned.

tips for success

When the dog hears his name, he quickly turns and makes eye contact with you. Practice this exercise as the mainstay of your warm-up prior to any training session or activity. Your goal is that your dog learns to look to you when there is no other instruction any time you are in a training situation.

Make it a game!

Take it on the road! While walking the dog on leash, speak his name and see if he can "check-in" even though he is sniffing something interesting, looking at another dog or looking at people walking by. Give him permission to go back to sniffing as his reward!

Training Steps:

Step 1:
When the dog is mildly distracted, say his name. Click for eye contact after he turns his head to you.

Click Points

Eye contact with you

Tag Points

After saying the dog's name, the tag point is: Wait

Step 2:
Toss the treat off to the side so that the dog becomes distracted again. Say his name. Click for eye contact, then toss the treat off to the side to reset for the next repetition.

Click Points

Eye contact with you

Tag Points

Click eye contact
Toss the treat to the side
Treat in front

Step 3:
Continue practicing in new situations and environments. Click for eye contact following the head turn, then toss the treat to reset the dog for the next repetition.

Click Points

Eye contact with you

Tag Points

Click eye contact

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