Training in Situations - How to Train Your Dog to Ignore Distractions

One of the challenges that many dog owners face is seeing consistency with what their dog has already learned. For example, an owner may teach their dog to sit, and it seems like their dog knows how to sit on command. Then they're out and about and they ask their dog to sit, and it doesn't even register. Their dog either ignores them altogether or looks at them like they just spoke in pig latin and continues on with whatever they were doing.

This is one of the reasons we often emphasize that dogs are not people. People do not always require context or focus to recall what they've learned. If you ask a person to sit, they know when, where, and how to sit no matter what they're doing or where they are. But dogs are not as focused, nor do they always understand something in more than one context unless you've trained them in a command within different environments.

Teaching Your Dog a Command Everywhere

If you want your dog to listen to a command in any setting, you should consider training them in every setting:

Teach them the command in multiple places, such as indoors, outdoors, at a dog park, etc. Let them see, learn, and understand that the command exists outside of the comfort of home.
Teach them the command with different levels of distraction. It's a lot easier to learn and listen when you're inside your home in silence. It's a lot harder when you are outside with new sights and smells. It's even harder when there are noises and other dogs. Learning in these progressively more difficult settings will help ensure your dog understands the command at all times.
Teach them the command in different voices and volumes. Your dog should be happy to listen to you even if you're yelling or if they can only hear you from far away. Your dog should always know that, no matter how you say the command, it should listen.

These are examples of how taking the command into different settings can make a big difference with the success of training. It's not just about teaching your dog a word. It's also about making sure that your dog is equipped with the ability to listen and obey that word at all times. If you'd like help with dog training in Chicago, or you'd like to learn more about our remote dog training services available anywhere in the world, contact Chicago Dog Trainer today.

Calvin and Colleen Sheehan (Assoc. Producer - The Oprha Winfrey Show)

Marc Goldberg with Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer"

Our Philosophy & Goals

Our philosophy is simple. Improve the life of both dog and family. All too often, unruly dogs do not fully enjoy life because their families constantly become upset and frustrated with them. This is difficult for both family and dog.

Our mission is simple. Make both dog and family happy.

What does is take to make your dog happy? He will thrive when you give him leadership and attention.

Making the family happy is a bit more complex.

Families typically want their dog to:

Come when called, every time, on or off leash
Walk nicely on a loose leash without pulling
Sit until released
Down until released

Families also want their dogs:

Not to jump on people
Not to charge through doors
Not to dig in the garden
Not to bark and chew inappropriately
Not to climb on furniture you prefer they avoid
Not to sniff and eat off the table and counters.
Not to be wild and uncontrollable
Not to ignore you when you want their attention