Time to move away from the boring sit-stay stuff and into some heeling skill-building. The work we do here will have a big impact on later training steps we take. We'll be spending a fair amount of time on this subject, going through a lot of video to support our training, so no hurry, no stress, and let's start staring at our dogs.
The first step in this process is fairly simple and fairly informal. All we need is some good timing and to remember our correct use of markers and food management mechanics. The following videos will make sure we get started on the right track.
3 min 34 sec
Watch a beginner team work through an initial session of this eye contact game. This is the first time these two have practiced this skill and with a little coaching, they catch on quick. Your initial session might look something similar to this.
1 min 30 sec
We documented a number of other teams working on the beginning pieces of this game. You'll see various dog and handler teams simply trying to capture and reward eye contact. As you practice with your own dog, keep good handling tips in mind:
QUICK COACHING TIPS...
Have food in left and right hand, hands behind back, terminal mark when dog makes eye contact, move and feed from variable sides (feeding from both hands will ensure your dog doesn't develop a bias for one side of your body). Keep sessions short and exciting.
1 min 52 sec