Disengagement - Layer 2
Adding in distractions
🧠 What this is?
This is a simple game to help your dog move away from distractions and re-engage with you. We are building a skill your dog can use when things feel a bit much.
What you need
Food/Treats
A calm place to start
Lead
🐾 What to do
Begin somewhere calm so that your dog can think clearly
Have your dog on lead
Gently toss one treat away
Make a noise
Feed multiple treats when they return to you
Repeat until you dog pings back without the need for a noise
👀 What you’ll start to see
Softer body language
Quicker turns back to you
Less fixation
💭 If it feels hard
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You might be asking in a space that’s too difficult
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Let’s bring it back a step - that’s completely normal
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That’s part of the process, not a problem.
Building this up
Take your time with this — this is where the real learning happens.
If you’re unsure, it’s always better to make it easier rather than harder.
Start where your dog can succeed
Begin in the house or garden where your dog is calm and able to think.
If it feels easy here, that’s exactly what we want.
Change one thing at a time
Before making things harder, keep everything else the same.
Get a little closer or
Slightly increase the distraction
👉 Not both together
Move through environments gradually
House
Garden
Quiet outdoor spaces
Slightly busier areas
If your dog struggles, it simply means we’ve moved too quickly — just step back.
This should feel calm
If it starts to feel rushed, tense, or frustrating — that’s your cue to make it easier.
Calm learning builds strong behaviour.
A quick note
This isn’t about control.
It’s about helping your dog feel able to make a different choice.