Hello Dora is 5 months old , very quick to learn but soon looses concentration 1-2-1 she is coming on nicely but as soon as there is a distraction this all goes to pot Am I expecting too much at her age ? How do I keep her focused on me and what I’m asking her to do As soon as she sees another dog, person , bird or anything that’s it Grateful for any advise
Hi Jo. The trick is to introduce distractions super gradually. When you do, make all the other factors of what you are doing easier at first, and build up slowly. For example if your pup walks nicely for 50 paces on a loose leash when you're alone, you might start practicing walking on a loose leash for 10 paces, with another dog at the far side of a field. Stream treats to her as you do this! If she can do that no trouble, move a little closer to the other dog. Or try a longer walk at the original distance. (Not both at once!). If she can't manage even ten paces, work on just standing with you and playing a focus game like 'unlock the hand' (instructions here - play at home without distractions first!). Or have a friend bring their very boring dog to your training and sit them down ignoring your puppy at a distance. Stationary dogs are much easier to ignore than moving ones . The trick is to find the limit of what she can ignore, and practice there, and then up the difficulty a little. You can do this with each of the skills you teach her. This is called 'proofing' the skill - and it is a *long* process. Even the most perfect of 5 month old puppies have lots of proofing in their futures! It can feel frustrating and slow when you're in the thick of it but, if you stick at it, it will be so worthwhile in the long run
