# No focus from 6 month old puppy :( Help?



## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has any advise for me, I'm at my wits end.
Hex my 6 month old male puppy has no focus at all when we do training, he gets distracted by everything. (I think he partially pretends to be distracted so he can avoid doing what I ask of him)
He has not had a lot of the early training my other dogs had as he had surgery early on and was on very limited exercise and unable to do "down" etc.

I took him out today just for a bit of leash walking and to try and do some sits and drops with him.
He just refuses to acknowledge any commands I give ( he knows the command very well, his butt hits the floor like lightning when he wants his dinner) and he's a smart boy, he has learnt lots of little "tricks" while he was on "bed rest". I have tried high value treats like sausages etc but he just ignores them, same as toys etc. 
He just wants to run around sniff stuff, see what the other dog is doing etc. it's like I'm invisible on the end of the lead. 
So to get his attention I have to correct him quite strongly (so far we've only been using a flat collar or martingale) and actually guide him into the sit like a baby puppy, while he's trying to turn away from me to go sniff something or whatever.
I feel like I do nothing but tell him off and jerk him around  
I do praise him profusely when he does listen and he gets a treat but he just seems to take that as "ok run off and do whatever you want now" 
It makes me quite upset and reluctant to take him out anywhere to work with him because I just end up feeling miserable.
I have never had this problem before, both my females were super eager to work and very focus from quite a young age. 
I have been taking him to training classes but he does exactly the same thing there and the trainers just ignore it, the classes are so big they don't seem to be able to give attention to everyone (unless you get right in their face asking questions and "hog" them) but thats not really my personality.
If anyone has any tips on how to improve the situation I'd love to hear them


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

What are you doing to be fun and interesting? Is your dog hungry and gets food from you for praise? Do you play with him when training with a toy? Do you praise him like crazy and make him feel great?

A boring handler will never get a good response from their dog. You have to be more fun and you dog has to want to work for you.


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## Rocky's mum (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi,
I've an almost 7 month old male, and although it doesn't sound as big a problem as you, I can def relate to it. Other dogs are his nemesis, and once he sees one, I too became invisible and the dog became much more appealing. All I can tell you is that he has started to show some REAL interest in toys/tugs, literally over the last 48hrs. He used to be very food motivated (other than when meet another dog) but now he's seems to be understanding that it's me that makes the toys 'alive' and I have managed to interrupt his focus by using one or two 'special' toys. I do not let him have access to them other than when controlled by me and it seems to be working, so my suggestion is choose a toy/ball/tug and only expose it to him on your terms. It may work?:hug:

Good Luck and I feel your frustration.....


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