[Day 11] Eye contact - How to get your dog's attention
Basic obedience: Day 10 of 56
This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.
Have you ever noticed how much the bond between you and your dog improves when he looks you in the eye? Eye contact is one of the most important means of communication between you and your dog. If you have your dog's gaze, then you also have his full attention. Regardless of whether you are training outside, the dog is exposed to strong distractions or you want to communicate better in everyday life - eye contact forms the basis for many important training steps.
In this blog, we will show you how to establish eye contact with your dog and why it is so important for your relationship. You will also find out how this simple act releases the hormone oxytocin and not only relaxes your dog, but also you. Sounds exciting? Then let's get started!
Aim: Your dog will spontaneously turn his eyes towards you more often in order to establish communication with you. When given a signal, you can make your dog make eye contact.
Equipment: Treats, if necessary for an unfocussed dog, Collar and leash
Location: At home, later outside
Duration: Training approx. 10-15 minutes, practise daily in everyday life
Why eye contact is so important in training
Eye contact between you and your dog is more than just brief eye contact - it is a powerful tool in communication and training. Dogs that actively look you in the eye are signalling that they are ready to work with you. As soon as you have your dog's gaze, you have their attention and therefore their concentration. This makes eye contact an ideal starting point for many exercises and training sessions.
In everyday life and especially in dog training, your dog's ability to pay attention to you is crucial. Dogs naturally tend to react to stimuli in their environment - be it a passing car, another dog or an exciting smell. Some dogs show intense eye contact of their own accord, others are easily distracted and rarely look up at their humans. So there are definitely differences in the individual attention span of dogs.
In training, eye contact is an excellent starting point for all further exercises. Once you have your dog's full attention, he is much more receptive to your instructions. By making eye contact, you can ensure that your dog is mentally with you and not with his thoughts or senses on the many distractions around him. Dogs learn at such moments that it is worth paying attention to you and following you. Especially in situations where your dog is exposed to a lot of distractions - such as on a walk in the park or when meeting other dogs - eye contact can make all the difference.
ℹ Info
Friendly eye contact increases the release of the hormone oxytocin. The increase in oxytocin has a relaxing effect.
Eye contact for impulse control and calm
Establishing eye contact is also an effective way to strengthen your dog's impulse control. Impulse control means that your dog learns to control his reactions to various stimuli instead of reacting directly to them. Eye contact helps your dog to practise this self-control. By focusing on you, you direct his attention away from the distraction and towards calmer behaviour.
Friendly eye contact also releases the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin, also known as the "bonding hormone", ensures that both you and your dog experience a feeling of relaxation and trust. Studies show that regular eye contact between dogs and humans strengthens the emotional bond and lowers stress levels. This makes eye contact not only a useful training tool, but also a way to deepen the bond between you and your dog.
Active vs. spontaneous eye contact
There are two types of eye contact that you can train with your dog: active eye contact and spontaneous eye contact.
Active eye contact: Here you give your dog a clear signal that he should look at you. This can be done using a word signal such as "Look" or "Look", which he will internalise over time. As soon as your dog looks you in the eye, he will be rewarded. This teaches him that it is worth looking at you whenever you give the signal.
Spontaneous eye contact: This is the next step in training. The aim here is to get your dog to look you in the eye voluntarily, even without a signal, in order to orientate itself towards you. This spontaneous eye contact is particularly valuable in everyday life as it shows that your dog accepts your leadership and actively wants to communicate with you.
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Summary
Eye contact is an important means of communication between you and your dog. It helps you to get your dog's attention and direct his concentration, which forms the basis for almost every training situation. Whether it's calmly waiting for distractions or executing commands in a targeted manner, eye contact ensures that your dog is mentally with you and strengthens your bond.
Regular eye contact training not only builds trust, but also promotes your dog's impulse control and frustration tolerance. These skills are essential for keeping calm in stressful situations. What's more, eye contact releases the hormone oxytocin, which relaxes both you and your dog and creates a closer bond.
Whether actively signalled or spontaneously - eye contact is one of the most important exercises in everyday life with your dog. So start integrating this simple but effective technique into your training today. It will not only improve your training success, but also deepen the mutual trust and relationship between you and your dog.
This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.
The authors: Paulina & Lui
Paulina and Lui are the heart and soul behind Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store]. Her journey in dog training began with the adoption of her first list dog, Vito. This experience sparked her deep interest in teaching other dog owners about dog behaviour and training. Initially this was just a hobby, but her passion developed into a true vocation when she adopted Amalia, an American Pitbull dog who had been relinquished several times due to severe behavioural problems. Amalia's particular behavioural challenges intensified her interest in dog training and behavioural therapy. This turning point led Paulina and Lui to leave their original career paths, undergo intensive further training and dedicate themselves fully to the subject of dog training. Their work with human-dog teams also revealed a gap in the dog market: there was a lack of safe, high-quality dog accessories specifically for medium-sized and large breeds.
From this realisation, Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store] was born, a combination of their commitment to professional dog training and the need for quality dog accessories. Paulina and Lui bring their personal experience, extensive knowledge and passion for dogs to every product to help human-dog teams live together.