One of the most beneficial prompts to teach your dog is to look at you. When your dog is focused and looking at you, they will be more likely to respond to other cues they know when you ask them.

One way to introduce this is by making an unusual sound that will capture your dog’s interest and when they turn to look, mark and reward them with something they love.

Repeat this process may times, rewarding as soon as your dog looks each time.

Practice at unexpected times throughout the day at home and when your dog is excitedly looking at you every time you make the sound, you can start to practice out and about too.

Remember to gradually increase the difficulty and drop back to quieter training areas if they are finding it too difficult to check in.