Meet Dash: Training with Distractions

Hi! I am Dash and I am learning a lot. 

Good Day Leapers,

This evening we had the pleasure of working with a cute little fellow named Dash. Leap has been meeting with Dash for a few weeks now, but today we tested his recall/come when called with high distractions... At the dog park.

How do we do that?

Well, we make it into a game. You see, sometimes, we humans only call our dogs while at the dog park when WE are ready to leave. Of course, the dogs are never ready to leave because they're having way, way too much fun. The trick is to be creative.

Here are some ideas:

1. Run away from the dog. That's right! If you become the most fun interesting item at the dog park then then your dog is sure to follow you, run after you, and come to you. Do this very often while your dog is at play to try to get their focus back on you.
2. Reward/Praise your dog. Remember to reinforce your dog whenever he/she comes near you, stops by, or even looks at you. This will ensure that the dog is paying attention to you. Yes, we didn't ask them for anything, but don't we want them to do this all the time? You know, come to us? So, this is a good way to shape it. Reward behaviors you want, even if not asked.
3. Practice. Always practice at home or outside of the park first with a leash before adding all these distractions.

Anyway, these are just some quick, easy tips. I'm sure you guys have some really good ones: how do you guys get your dogs to come to you while at the dog park?

XOXO LEAP!

Note: every dog is different and not every dog likes dog parks. Please make sure you know your dog very well before taking them to an off leash dog park area. Dog parks can be fun for some, but very stressful place for others.