We all love our dogs and want to spend quality time with them. Quality time involves paying attention to your dog and your dog paying attention to you. By teaching them to "look at me " both you and your dog will create a bond that will never be broken.
Teaching "Look at me" is quite simple: Hold a treat in your hand directly in front of your dog's eyes and slowly bring the treat to your eyes saying "Fido look at me". The second Fido looks at you give him the treat and tell him again "Fido look at me" in a very cheerful tone. Most dogs will quickly learn to "look at you", usually within one training session.
As Fido learns to look at you, you can start bringing the treat from your dog’s eyes to your eyes quicker, again tell him "Fido look at me". The second Fido looks at you give him the treat and now tell him "good boy Fido" in a very cheerful tone.
Now practice with only giving a treat every other time, but definitely give a cheerful "good boy Fido". Fido now doesn't know when a treat will be coming so he will need to pay close attention to you.
Once Fido looks at you every time you ask it's time to skip using the treat to point with and just point from your dog's eyes to your eyes, "Fido look at me". Give him a treat and a big "good boy Fido".
What's next: no pointing, just "Fido look at me". As he looks he gets a big treat reward and a big verbal reward. As you continue to practice the treat reward is only occasional but the verbal reward always happens.
You now have a dog that will "look at you" on command. This command has many useful purposes.
"Look at me" can be used when you are teaching your dog to heel on and off leash.
"Look at me" is used in all obedience classes.
"Look at me" can be used if your dog slips his collar, "Fido, look at me", before he gets to the street you have his attention and he is safely back with you.
"Look at me" is essential for agility training.
"Look at me" can make playing games like musical dogs or biscuit shell game a win-win time.
