💡Always start somewhere quiet, with short sessions (3-8 min). Use one clear word: “Watch me”, “Look” or “Focus”.
Capturing spontaneous eye contact
Sit quietly with your dog. As soon as they look at you (even for 1 second) → “Watch me!” + jackpot treat. Repeat until your dog actively looks for your eyes.
Name + focus
Say your dog's name → wait for them to look at you → “Watch me!” + reward. Their name = an immediate pivot towards you.
Static eye contact
Dog sitting. Hold a treat between your eyes → wait for them to fix their gaze → “Watch me!” + give the treat. Increase the duration: 1s → 5s → 10s.
The two-hands game
A treat in each closed fist. Show both → wait for your dog to look at your eyes (not your hands) → reward. It builds focus on your face.
Passive attention
Sit on a chair and ignore your dog for 30-60s. As soon as they look at you calmly → “Watch me!” + treat. Excellent for independent dogs.
Increasing duration
“Watch me!” → hold 3-5s of eye contact → reward. Build up to 10, 15, 30 seconds.
Focus while moving slowly
Walk slowly in a circle → “Watch me!” → reward if your dog keeps eye contact while walking beside you.
Two bowls / focus on you
Put down two empty bowls, with a treat in one. Say “Watch me!” → reward only if your dog looks at you instead of rushing over.
Eye contact vs. food on the floor
Put treats on the ground 1m away → “Watch me!” → reward if your dog looks at you instead of eating them.
Look at That! (LAT)
Dog on the lead. As soon as they notice a distraction → “Watch me!” → if they look at you → huge jackpot. It turns triggers into a chance to focus.
Two-person focus ping-pong
Two people facing each other (3-5m). Take turns calling “Watch me!” → your dog must turn towards the person calling → reward.
Focus on a real walk
On a long line, when your dog is sniffing → “Watch me!” once only + step back → jackpot if they turn and fix their gaze on you.
Focus + chained cues
“Watch me” → “Sit” → “Watch me” → “Down” → reward only if your dog's eyes stay on you between each cue.
- If they look away quickly: Make it easier (fewer distractions, closer to you, more jackpots).
- Always finish on a great success.
- Link focus with fun: After a good series, start a game or a free-roaming walk.