How To Train A Dog Around Distractions

It’s an all-too-common scenario for dog owners. Your pup behaves impeccably in the familiar surroundings of your home – almost the poster child for obedience and focus. Yet as soon as you take your dog out in public and encounter a new person, new environment or even a new dog, it seems like they forget everything they knew about behavior and manners.

This can be incredibly frustrating and perplexing as an owner, and can make you reluctant to get your dog out in public places. However, the good news is that it is possible to familiarize your dog around distractions through consistent training – and the consequences will make trips to new places a more rewarding experience for both you and your pup.

Why distractions affect dogs - and why training around them matters

Dogs are contextual learners. This means that while your dog may understand expectations for their behavior in one set of circumstances (i.e. at your home around familiar people), those expectations are not immediately transferred when they experience a different set of circumstances (i.e. at a public park around new people and new smells). Instead, we must work to generalize their behavior so that we improve the chances of reliable, consistent behavior, no matter where our dog is or what is in the surrounding environment.

We must also consider how dogs actually experience the world, remembering that their sense of smell is far more sensitive than humans. This has a huge influence on how they react to the world around them – their instincts and natural drive often kicks in, and leads them towards those new smells (overriding our own desire for them to “stay!” or “come!”, no matter how desperately we shout).

Training around distractions should be a fundamental building block of your training efforts with your dog. For your dog to live an enriching and fulfilling life, they cannot simply stay within the perimeter of your home forever. They need the enrichment of experiencing the world around them. When you work around distractions, you build the confidence you need to take your dog out in new places. It also enhances the bond and trust between you and your dog.

Training around distractions - step-by-step

As with many facets of dog training, it is important to take a systematic approach to training around distractions. If you overwhelm your dog, it can actually create more issues in the long run. Follow the steps below to give you and your dog the best chance of success.

Step 1: Understand your dog’s starting point

No two dogs begin at the same point with any aspect of dog training. Their age, breed, genetics and learned history all play a role in their development. These factors also affect how easily your dog takes to new training endeavors. Be realistic with where your dog is currently at – if they are a young puppy with no foundational behavior in place, you’re going to need to put more work in than with an adult dog who already has established obedience habits.

Step 2: Master their training at home

Before you head out into the wider world, make sure your dog is solid in their home environment. This is typically a lower-stress environment to train your dog because it is familiar to everybody, and involves fewer distractions than out in public. Work on building focus both indoors and outdoors, where smells will be varied. This ensures that your dog has clear expectations and sets them up for success in the long run.

Step 3: Start with fewer, smaller distractions

Resist the temptation to take your dog to a hectic location with an overwhelming array of novel stimuli – slowly but surely is the best process here. You can actually work on training around distractions at home by working on their obedience with planned distractions from other members of your household. For example, you may practice their down-stay command while somebody rings the doorbell, or their ability to sit calmly when a family member rustles some papers or tosses a toy across the room. These controlled scenarios will allow you to evaluate the improvement in your dog’s focus.

Step 4: High-value rewards

Training around distractions, at least initially, is a competition for your dog’s attention. One way to win this battle is to use a motivator that will entice them to focus on you, instead of the distraction. Understanding what motivates your dog is valuable in a variety of contexts, but it really comes into its own when you start working with distractions. Due to the ‘strength’ of the distraction, you’ll want an equally strong reward – so while everyday kibble is unlikely to cut it, small pieces of rotisserie chicken or another high-value treat can work. Combine the reward with enthusiastic praise to truly motivate your dog.

Step 5: Increase distractions gradually

You will need to build up the distractions gradually – immediately trying to work on your dog’s focus in the middle of a busy park is a recipe for disaster. Try taking a walk around a quiet sub-division, or in a public park at a quieter time of day. This allows you to gradually work on focus and obedience skills, without the danger of your dog becoming overwhelmed. As the reliability of your dog’s obedience improves, you can then work up to busier areas, such as downtown walks and public parks at peak times.

Step 6: Practice in everyday situations

Every outing is a training opportunity! When you take your dog out on their daily walk, take a moment within that walk to work on their focus around distractions. If you see a dog walking towards you, see if your dog can wait off to the side and focus on you – not the dog or handler passing by. You can also practice recalls on a long-line at a park. These real-life scenarios are a true test of whether your dog is able to focus on you around distractions.

Troubleshooting

Naturally, there may be bumps in the road when you train your dog around distractions. It’s unlikely to be a straight path. If you are running into issues when following the steps detailed above, these points may be able to help:

Build engagement, not just obedience. You aren’t looking to turn your dog into a robot who dutifully performs commands on call. Don’t just work on obedience – instead, work on building your dog’s focus around these distractions, remembering that their focus should be on you.
Don’t go too far, too fast. We mentioned this a couple of times in this article – if you overwhelm your dog, they’re going to default to their instinctive behaviors. You have to build up slowly by introducing new distractions or environments one at a time.
Keep sessions short. Even when introducing one new distraction, keep the session short. It takes a lot of your dog’s mental energy to suppress their natural tendencies and focus on you. Keep sessions to 5-10 minutes to ensure your dog gets the benefit of the training without becoming fatigued.
Stay calm. Learning outcomes are improved in a relaxed environment. If you become stressed or frustrated with your dog during these training sessions, there is a good chance that they will sense your frustration because they are often attuned to our feelings. Always remember to remain calm and keep the bigger picture in mind.

In conclusion

Whether you do it intentionally or otherwise, training your dog around distractions is an inevitable part of life as a dog owner. Success usually comes when we plan ahead – and so instead of stumbling upon these distractions and reacting to them, making distractions a part of your dog’s training process is imperative.

Need help with generalizing your dog’s behavior around distractions? At Highland Canine Training, we have professional dog trainers located across the United States. Reach out to a trainer in your area today to see how they can help you and your dog.