THE EYE CONTACT GAME
Paying Attention

A strong relationship between you and your and dog is based on paying attention to each other. Unless you have (and give) attention, you'll never be able to teach your dog anything. Eye contact is probably the most powerful form of attention. In this game, your dog will learn that looking straight into your eyes is always rewarded. You'll be asking your dog to make a choice between looking at the reward and looking into your eyes. Only by making the right choice (looking away from the treat) will your dog get the treat.

Procedure
1. Find something that your dog loves - preferably, a food treat the size and softness of a raisin. Some possibilities: raisins, cheese, cooked meat, hot dogs, beef jerky, Cheerios. (If your dog is not turned on by food, find something that does excite him/her: a toy, going out for a walk, getting into the car for a ride, etc.)

2. Hold the leash loosely in your left hand. Use your right hand to show your dog a treat by holding it in front of his nose.

3. Move your right hand, holding the treat, straight out to the side.

4. Wait!

5. The instant your dog looks away from the treat and makes eye contact with you, click (or say "Yes!") and then give the treat. (See "Hint" below.)

6. Repeat steps 1-5 a few times, and repeat the whole training game a few times a day. You'll find that your dog quickly figures out how to "train" you to give him/her the treat!

7. When you see that your dog is making a conscious choice for eye contact, start to vary your position. For example, hold the reward out to your left side or behind your dog. Or, stand directly in front of, or on one or the other side, of your dog. Or, sit in a chair or on the floor with your dog in front of or beside you. You'll find that every time you change position, your dog will have a little difficulty getting started. That's normal. From your dog's point of view, this is a new exercise.

8. Now you can add a command to this behavior - such as "Ready!" Give the command, show the treat, and, when your dog makes eye contact, click (or say "Yes!") and then give the treat.

Hint: If your dog simply won't give you eye contact but continues to look at the treat, wait until he/she turns his/her head even slightly towards your face - and reinforce that immediately (click or "Yes!" and then treat)! After a few times, wait till your dog turns just a bit more towards your face before rewarding. This process is called "shaping." Instead of rewarding the finished behavior you actually want, you're rewarding tiny steps that will lead towards that behavior, each time asking just a little more of your dog. Once your dog gets the finished behavior (making eye contact with you), go on to Step 6.

(Thanks to Chris Bach, WI)