Focus: Teaching Your Dog to Look at You Around Food Distractions

Video Tutorial Coming Soon: A video demonstration will be added to accompany this written guide.

“Focus” asks your dog to direct their attention toward your face. This exercise uses treats held out at your sides to teach your dog that looking at you, rather than watching the food, earns a reward.

Begin by rewarding a brief glance. Once your dog understands the exercise, gradually build their ability to maintain attention. A relaxed look toward your face is enough; you do not need to require an intense stare or a particular posture.

Helpful Cues to Know Before Practicing

A reward marker, such as “yes”: This identifies the exact moment your dog looks toward your face and tells them a reward is coming.

Name recognition is helpful but optional: You may use your dog’s name to gain their attention before beginning. During the exercise, allow them to discover that looking at you earns the reward.

Basic impulse control is helpful: Experience disengaging from food in a closed hand can make this exercise easier.

Sit is optional: Your dog may sit or stand comfortably. The goal is attention, rather than holding a position.

What You Will Need

Have small, easy-to-eat treats ready and choose a quiet location with minimal distractions. Begin with treats your dog enjoys without becoming excessively excited.

Place one treat in each hand. Keep sessions approximately one to three minutes long.

Step 1: Show the Treats and Move Your Hands Apart

Position yourself in front of your dog. Briefly let them see that you have a treat in each hand, then close your hands and extend your arms out to your sides.

Hold your hands far enough apart that your dog can distinguish them from your face. Keep them above easy grabbing height without encouraging your dog to jump.

Remain still and quiet. Your dog may look from one hand to the other as they decide what to do.

Step 2: Reward the First Glance Toward Your Face

The moment your dog looks toward your face, say “yes.” Immediately bring one hand inward and deliver the treat close to your body, where your dog can comfortably take it.

A split-second glance is enough during the first repetitions. Do not wait for prolonged eye contact.

The timing matters: mark while your dog is looking at you, before moving your reward hand. This helps them understand that looking toward your face caused the reward to become available.

Step 3: Reset and Repeat

Reload your hands and return them to your sides. Wait quietly for another glance toward your face, then mark and reward.

Alternate which hand delivers the treat so your dog does not begin watching only one side.

Allow them to finish eating before starting the next repetition. Complete approximately five to eight repetitions, then take a break.

Step 4: Make the Exercise Easier if Needed

If your dog continues watching your hands without looking toward your face, reduce the difficulty. Use less exciting treats, move your hands farther from your face, or begin with a smaller distraction.

You can also briefly practice rewarding voluntary glances toward you with both hands resting at your sides before returning to the extended-arm exercise.

If your dog jumps, mouths your hands, or becomes frustrated, lower the challenge and reward sooner. Avoid repeatedly saying their name or asking for focus before they understand the behavior.

Step 5: Add the Word “Focus”

Once your dog consistently looks toward your face when your hands move out to your sides, say “focus” once, just before presenting the exercise.

Mark the moment they look at you and deliver a treat.

After several successful repetitions, begin giving the cue with your hands in a more natural position. Reward their response so the word gradually becomes meaningful without the extended-arm setup.

If they struggle, return briefly to the familiar presentation and reduce the difficulty.

Step 6: Build Brief Duration

Once your dog responds readily, wait approximately one second before marking and rewarding.

Gradually build from a brief glance to two or three seconds of relaxed attention. Include easy, short repetitions between longer ones.

If your dog looks away before you mark, reset and ask for a shorter duration on the next attempt. Avoid expecting a long stare or correcting them for finding the exercise difficult.

Step 7: Fade the Visible Food Setup

Practice with empty hands extended to your sides, keeping treats in a pouch or pocket. Give the cue, mark the look toward your face, then retrieve a reward.

Gradually bring your arms closer to your body until your dog can respond while your hands rest naturally.

This teaches your dog to respond to “focus” without needing to see food first.

Step 8: Practice Around Mild Distractions

Begin in another quiet room or with a small distraction at a comfortable distance. Ask for a brief look, mark it, and reward promptly.

Reduce your duration expectations whenever the environment becomes harder. If your dog cannot respond, move farther from the distraction or return to an easier setting.

Use focus for brief, purposeful engagement. Allow your dog opportunities to observe their surroundings between repetitions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Moving the treat before marking: Your dog may follow the food instead of learning that looking at you earns it. Mark first, then move your hand.

Requiring too much eye contact: Reward a brief glance before building duration.

Giving the cue repeatedly: Say “focus” once after you have established the behavior. Reset and simplify if your dog does not respond.

Always rewarding from the same hand: Alternate sides to reduce anticipation of one particular hand.

Displaying food indefinitely: Gradually practice with empty hands and rewards stored out of sight.

Using food that creates excessive excitement: Choose a reward that allows your dog to think and participate comfortably.

When to Progress

Increase difficulty when your dog looks toward your face on the first cue in approximately eight out of ten attempts across several short sessions.

Build duration and distractions separately. The goal is comfortable, responsive attention that your dog can offer without relying on visible treats.