My puppy is 5 months old and he doesn’t seem to listen to me when we’re walking outside. He doesn’t look at me or follow commands like ‘come on’ to keep walking, or even ‘stay’ or his name when I call. He seems distracted and doesn’t care much. How can I fix this?
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What happens when you say ‘come on’? How did you teach that command?
AliaBhatt said:
What happens when you say ‘come on’? How did you teach that command?
I usually reward him with treats. I take a couple of steps, and if he’s behind, I say ‘come on’ and reward him when he follows. I’ve been practicing this at home first and now I’m trying it outside with fewer distractions.
One thing I learned in puppy class was to teach ‘watch me.’ Hold a treat or favorite toy to get their attention, and reward when they make eye contact. This helps get their focus, especially in busy areas. At 5 months, your puppy is still like a toddler, so everything is new and exciting to him. Keep practicing his name and basic commands at home in calmer places, and try not to stress if he’s distracted outside. Short training sessions with food rewards can help too.
@Oliver
We adopted a 6-month-old dog, and our trainer told us to whistle to get her attention. We give her a treat when she looks at us. After about a week, she started responding well, even at the dog park. It’s worth trying this method.
@Mary
That’s great to hear! My dog does respond to whistling too, but he gets so distracted, especially outside. He’s very energetic, so maybe I need a trainer to help him focus better.
@Oliver
I do work on eye contact and recall at home, and he’s good with that there. But when we’re outside, with all the distractions, he just ignores treats, toys, or food. It’s tough to train him when he doesn’t care about rewards, so I mostly use praise.
@JamesHenry
Have you tried using a clicker and higher-value treats? I found that my dog quickly lost interest in regular treats, but once I switched to hot dogs or string cheese, I got her attention right away. It could make a big difference for your puppy.
Try working in areas with fewer distractions, like less noise or fewer people, to help him focus more.
I got a 10-month-old puppy recently, and he was super hyper and distracted too. I had him neutered and then started training with only positive reinforcement. No yelling or negative reactions. I use high-quality treats and give him plenty of praise and attention when he does well. It’s been working so far!