Part of our clicker training this week is to get my puppy to look at my eyes-although she prefers to keep an eye on where the hand with the treats is. She's finding this very difficult, she won't look you in the eye, why is this

We usually start this by holding the treat by your eyes ?

Many pups get fixated on the treat hands.  You can teach "watch me" by holding a treat on the bridge of your nose.  You can also reinforce it every time you feed her - are you asking her to wait before eating?  Leave the food bowl on the side within reach, ask her to sit and wait then only put the bowl down when she looks you in the eye.  She'll quickly progress to a stage where you can put her into a wait position, place the bowl down, and she'll hold eye contact until you release her to eat.

My dogs are now 10, 5 and 2 and have done this from puppies, all of them will sit and "watch me" til released to eat.  It's a great way to teach food manners in a multidog household

Some pups find looking you in the eye too confrontational. If your pup has a submissive nature try training 'watch me' while playing with a toy instead of while food rewards are around.

Can't say that I've ever understood the need to have a dog 'watch' giving eye to eye contact. It's unatural for them. The important thing is that the pup is paying attention. Still, that's why I no longer do obedience competitions, I guess!!

However, if you've got a treat in your hand, are you pure clicker training or are you just luring? I'd say you were doing the latter. If eye contact is what you really want then so long as your pup really does understand what the clicker means, then you shouldn't need food in your hand.

I've been kicking myself trying to work out what I've done to make her like this, I really began to think I'd done something wrong somewhere

> I really began to think I'd done something wrong somewhere

Do you have any training books?  These are handy in between training sessions to remind you what you are hoping to achieve and refresh you about the techniques for each exercise your trainer has you working on.  Have a look at Karen Pryor's Clicker Training website and/or books and also Patricia McConnell

I start out by having the food up by my face in a closed hand - if the dog thinks there is food in a closed hand then this will work, and I click and reward for the dog looking at my face, it doesn't need to be direct eye contact (as I think thats unfair too).

As soon as I think they have the idea, the hand will no longer ALWAYS contain food, sometimes it will sometimes the food will come from another hand - this is the beginning of fading out the lure of the food to just the hand signal, and then you can reduce the hand signal until it is completely gone.

I use the treat by the eyes method and say "watch me" and as soon as I get eye contact they get the treat.

Timings the most important thing, you have to be really quick in the first stages of training this because the eye contact is so brief.

Oddly enough the collie has been the slowest learner for this exercise but she's got it now.....perseverance, timing and patience have paid off.

I usually train this slightly differently from the others as I hold the trat away from my face. the dog knows  it is there and will try to get it   but I don't let them have it. Sooner or later out of frustration most dogs will look away from the treat and at you to see why you are not letting them having the treat, Be ready to click the moment they look at you. Doesn't have to be in the eye.  Usually only takes a few repetitions for the dog to get the idea.

I also use this method to break the obsession with your hand. again. have a treat in your hand and show the dog but don't let her get it. she is likely to try quite hard. What you are looking for is any pause in the attempts to get the treat. Click any pauses and give the treat. you can then gradually extend the length of time you ask the dog to wait for the treat.

Got some brilliant tips especially about the treat in my hand and trying to get her away from that and look at me so I'm off to try some more, thanks everyone

I wouldn't beat yourself up about her not wanting to look you in the eye. It isn't actually natural for a dog. After a number of dogs you will find that some will, some wont, some will but only fleetingly. It's nothing you've done, that's them. Same as some people find it very hard to look another person in the eye when they're talking to them ...

If you were training me, I'd look you in the eye, but if you were holding a great chunk of chocolate whilst you were doing so I'm fairly certain where my attention would be ;-)

Chill and work on the tips you've been given. But if they don't work then move on to the next exercise. The great thing about dogs are they are just that, dogs - not robots!

Edited to say: if you are persisting with her looking you in the eye, just think about what your body language is saying to her ... are you facing her square on? Are your eyes fully open? Maybe a sideways stance would be better, eyes softer ... have a look at some body language things on the internet - can't recommend any but sure there must be plenty.

Also to add that I'd work the same as newyork ... wonder if we've been on similar training courses?!!

I couldn't agree more trialist, now you've put it like that it makes sense, food is her life even if she had just been fed she would jump through hoops for more food so trying to get her to ignore food for whatever reason isn't going to be easy I'm just going to see how ths works out using the tips.  I've started another conversation and would love your opinion. 

You could always have the 'sweeties' in a tub away from where you're working. If you're clicker training and she really does understand the meaning of the 'click' then you don't actually have to have the treats on your person. You may end up with a dog that rushes to where she knows the sweetie tub is once you've clicked, but would that matter?

One of the easiest ways is to start by dropping a treat on the floor, as soon as pup eats it click and drop another treat, then another and another, remember to click as soon as pup eats the treat and before you drop the next treat. After a number of repetitions, click and treat then put in a delay and pup will look up to see why you have stopped. The important thing to remember is she/he doesn't have to stare intently into your eyes, a glance is all that is needed and click as she looks at your face. As soon as you have had the face glance and clicked, drop another treat, and keep repeating. To avoid her looking at your hand, put both hands behind your back, only bringing it from behind the back as you drop the treat. Hope that is clear, but it does work and only usually takes one session before the pup realises that by looking at your face it gets the magic click and treat.

Once you have pup reliably looking at your face, you can then start to put in a tiny delay before you click, but don't rush. After pup will hold the stare for a few seconds, you can then get clever and start to play "find my face" and shuffle your feet so pup has to come around to the front of you to look at your face. They catch on so quickly it's amazing. Good luck and have fun.

Sorry just read my instructions and I have managed to confuse myself. So here goes for the second time

1. Drop a treat on the floor and as pup eats it click and immediatley drop another. (Pup does not need to look up). Repeat a number of times.
2. Stand still with your hands behind you back and pup WILL look up to see why you have stopped dropping treats on the floor.
3. The second he looks up click and drop another treat.
4. As soon as pup eats the treat, he/she will again glance up so click and treat.
5. Bingo you now have pup realising that by looking at your face he can make you give him a yummy treat.

Hope that's a bit clearer.

That sounds great, I love it and with how quick she picked up clicker training this should work great THANKS