About 4-6 minutes, with breaks. Free PDF. No email required.
Before you begin
Prepare a comfortable starting point.
For a dog who is comfortable with hands, food, and a stable household object. This is easy indoor practice, not proof your dog can handle distractions.
Choose a quiet room and turn off avoidable distractions. Other pets and children stay outside the practice area.
Prepare a small food allowance and a stable, low, open cardboard box with staples, tape, and loose pieces removed.
Only use the box if your dog does not chew or swallow cardboard and can move comfortably around it. Looking at it is enough.
Adjust the setup to your dog's reach and mobility. One easy turn can be the whole session. Let your dog opt out, and take a quiet break between games.
Three easy options
Play one game, then decide whether to continue.
1
30-60 seconds
Eye Contact Game
Prepare: Stand or sit with soft posture and a treat near your chest. Avoid staring into your dog's eyes.
Wait for a voluntary glance toward your face or shoulder.
Mark it once, reward, then look away briefly to reset.
Try three easy repetitions. Do not keep saying your dog's name or demand a longer stare.
Stop if: Your dog freezes, repeatedly avoids your gaze, paws at you, or becomes frustrated by the wait.
Make it easier: Reward a glance in your general direction and end the turn.
This is a suggested practice rhythm, not a deadline or a promise of behavior change. Skip a day, repeat an easier day, or choose rest whenever your dog needs it.
Day 1
Three easy glances
Try Eye Contact Game in the quietest room. Record how readily your dog chooses to engage.
Day 2
Repeat, do not lengthen
Keep the same brief glances. A longer stare is not the goal.
Day 3
Add a target
Try three hand-target turns after a break. Watch for comfort around your hands.
Day 4
Notice the box
Reward a look or sniff toward a low stable box, then stop. Stepping inside is optional.
Day 5
Choose two skills
Practice the two easiest games in the same room, with a break between them.
Day 6
One small change
Only if everything stays easy, change your position slightly in the same quiet room. Do not add a busy distraction.
Day 7
Review voluntary choices
Count a few comfortable check-ins and compare with Day 1. Return to the easier setup if engagement drops.
What to write in your record
Record voluntary glances or target choices, the setup, and any frustration. Comfortable participation matters more than speed or repetition counts.
Use the blank seven-day table in the PDF. Keep your dog's name and notes on your own copy; this page does not store them.
