13/08/2026
🐾 Recall & focus training 🐾
We’ve been working on something that can be really challenging for some dogs — staying calm and choosing to focus on their person when they spot another dog in the distance. 🐶
This lovely boy is actually very friendly with other dogs and does brilliantly on his group walks with his friends. His reaction tends to happen when he sees another dog from a distance. He can become very focused on them and start barking, so we’re working on changing that response and helping him understand that he doesn’t need to react.
Today we practised using the cue “here” and rewarding him with a treat as soon as he chose to turn his attention back to me. The aim isn’t to force him to ignore the other dog, but to give him an alternative behaviour and help him make a calmer choice. 🐾
And he did SO well! 🥰 We had a few different distractions during our walk — dogs, as well as people without dogs. I chose a location I knew wouldn’t be too busy, but where we were still likely to see the odd dog, giving us the opportunity to practise without overwhelming him.
On 3 out of 5 occasions, he noticed another dog but instead of barking, he was able to disengage, come back to me and receive his reward. Which is great progress 👏💙
It’s not about expecting perfection overnight — it’s about building positive experiences, confidence and trust 🐶✨🐾
