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How Do I Get My Dog to Listen?

A dog carries the umbrella of its owner as they walk in Berlin in 2015. 

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Answer by John Buginas, SF/SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, instructor, 2006–09:

Any animal can be motivated to listen or pay attention by controlling access to resources in its environment.

Find out what your dog really likes. It may be food, play, affection, a toy, a game of tug of war, a walk, getting up on your lap, going outside through a door, going inside through a door, chasing a ball, chewing on a shoe, sniffing a fire hydrant. What it likes may change from one moment to the next. Then, control access to the things your dog likes. Provide access to the things it wants in exchange for the behavior you want—such as paying attention to you, sitting politely, etc.

The things your dog likes may change from day to day or from hour to hour, as do your own preferences. The food it liked yesterday may not be so exciting if it has a full tummy, or a game of chase the ball may not excite them two days in a row or after a game of tug-of-war.

When thinking about motivation, think about sex and pizza. There are times you would turn down pizza, like after you gorged on prime rib, maybe? There are times you would turn down sex. Seriously. The trick to motivating any animal is to find out what it likes and understand how to provide that at the time it really wants it.

As an example: Your dog loves to walk and pulls on the leash and won’t pay attention to you. If your dog wants badly to go for a walk and walks badly, you can use that as powerful motivation. You can use each step of getting ready and going for a walk as a training opportunity.

At you prepare for a walk, ask for attention before you move on. Ask your dog to look you in the eye and sit calmly before you put on its leash. Just wait it out. Be patient. Be calm. Hold the leash, ask it to sit, and just wait. It may take a very long time initially, but eventually, your dog will slam its butt to the ground when you get out the leash. The instant it gives you attention, say, “Good dog,” and move toward the door.

You can then use the same motivation to get it to pay attention to you and sit calmly at the door before you open it. Just wait it out. The instant it gives you attention, say, “Good dog,” and move through the door.

Your dog pulls on a leash? Stop moving in the direction it is pulling. Require it to look you in the eye, then only allow it to move when it stops pulling. Wait it out. Very Zen. Moving forward is what it wants. Sniffing is what it wants. It gets that when it stops pulling and looks at you. The instant it gives you attention, say, “Good dog,” and continue on your walk.

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