04/09/2026
Basil has been making some lovely progress, and this week we built on his skills from last session while working on helping him make good choices around distractions.
👀 Eye contact�We progressed his eye contact by hiding the treat behind our backs and using his cue word to encourage him to check in with us. This helps him learn that good things happen when he chooses to engage with his person, even when the reward isn’t immediately visible.
👃 “Find it”�Basil already has some great recall skills, so we’re using his nose to encourage him to work with his owner as a team. “Find it” is a fantastic enrichment exercise as well as a really useful way of redirecting his focus when needed.
🛑 Emergency stop�We introduced an emergency stop, teaching Basil that his owner may suddenly step in front of him and ask him to stop. This is particularly useful when another dog is approaching and we need to create space and safely allow them to pass.
🌳 Putting it into practice�We took everything into the park and practised stepping in front of Basil when another dog was approaching, alongside using “find it” to help create a little more distance.
Basil doesn’t need to completely ignore other dogs — looking at them from a comfortable distance is absolutely fine! We’re watching for the point where his body starts to become tense or the lead starts to tighten, and using that moment to redirect his attention back to his owner.
One of my favourite parts of the session was giving Basil the opportunity to make his own good decisions. After picking up the scent of another dog on the wind, we allowed him time to process it rather than immediately asking for his attention. He then chose to bring his focus back to his owner himself.
That’s exactly the kind of confidence and partnership we want to build — not simply a dog who does what he’s told, but a dog who learns to think, make good choices and trust his person.
