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| How can we focus with kids and cars all around! |
Think about all the sights and sounds your puppy would encounter if you walked them on Commercial Street in Portland, Me. How about walking near a school during recess or on a sidewalk over looking a beach?
When you take your puppy or rescue dog to a new environment, you should simply let him get information about the new place. Let him look and sniff around for a bit.
These two sweet shelties did not feel comfortable with the kids quickly leaving the High School in all directions. After a few minutes of watching everyone, they felt more comfortable and were able to focus on their sit and down stays for longer periods of time.
I often hear people say their dog will sit and stay at home, but not in a new environment, this is true of most young dogs! I promise, if you just allow your dog to engage in his surroundings for a bit, you will have more compliance. I recommend you let him look or sniff, then train for 5 minutes, then release him with a simple "ok" and a loose leash. Repeat this type of session, train then "ok" each day until your dog is no longer distracted by his environment.
Each week, gradually increase the training time to build duration in the behaviors you are working on. Always end a positive note so your dog looks forward to going back to that environment next time!
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