How to get your dog to make eye contact with you
Not all dogs will automatically make eye contact, and whether yours does spontaneously or not, it’s always worth rewarding this behaviour. It strengthens your bond and keeps them focused on you.
Why train eye contact?
Training eye contact helps maintain your dog's focus and connection with you in all sorts of situations. The more you reward it, the more they’ll want to connect with you.
The benefits of eye contact
When your dog's used to being rewarded for eye contact, you'll find it benefits all other aspects of your training together. They’ll make more eye contact on walks, which helps with training a calm, harmonious pace. They’ll also seek you out more when off-leash, making it easier to reward them for staying close. This means fewer recalls on walks and a dog that’s more keen to be by your side.
How do I do this, and where do I start?
Start at home, where your dog feels safe and there are few distractions. Follow the steps in the video, rewarding your dog for looking towards your face initially. Once your dog makes eye contact quickly and understands the exercise, you can practise it on your walks. Keep rewarding eye contact throughout your dog’s life.
