Teach Your Dog to Watch Me, Dog Training and Obedience Lessons

Obedience Lessons

Getting Started

Sit

Come

Stay

Lie Down

Wait

Walk on a Leash

Better Go Now

Off

Stand

Leave It

Watch Me

Be Gentle

Move, Please

Home

Teaching
"Watch Me!"

Teaching your dog to pay attention to you is very important. If you can get your dog to ignore things around him and focus on you, it will be much easier to teach him things. Teach 'Watch me' just like you would any other command or trick. If you spend time teaching your dog to pay attention now, he will be a much better student for other commands later.

When your dog looks at you, it helps you to feel closer to him. This will help your relationship with him and he will learn faster.

Here's how:

Be ready with a small piece of your dog's favorite treat. Put it in your pocket or some place your dog can't see it.
Stand or sit facing your dog.
As soon as he looks right at your face, quickly tell him "Watch me!" and give him a treat. Then say, "Good boy!"

TIP:

It is important that you do not show your dog the treat first. If you do, he will want to look at the treat instead of you.

Practice "Watch me" many times during the day. It may take a long time before your dog understands. When you think he knows the words "Watch me", try it again. If he doesn't look at you, don't say anything. Just try it again another time. Praise him whenever he does what he is supposed to do.

Once your dog has truly learned "Watch me", you can take him anywhere and he will turn all of his attention to you!

You should never punish your dog or yell at him if he is not doing what you want him to.

He is just learning.