Sort of like saying please without having to ask anything of the dog. Sooooo handy!!!!
Normally 3 default behaviours are handy:
1- eye contact from a stand/stay...looking you right in the eyes and holding their eye contact until you release them to do something else (reward)
2-eye contact from a sit/stay....holding a sit until you release them to do something else (reward)
3-eye contact from a down/stay...holding a down until you release them to do something else (reward)
All it takes is "capturing" the behaviour and rewarding it. Important part is NOT asking them to do anything...just stand or sit and wait it out...then tell them what a superstar they are and make it known by saying "thank you" in the form of something they'll love to eat, or do, for being so polite!
Like Keegan puppy in this video....I didn't ask him to sit or give me eye contact, or NOT jump up but he does do all three :)
If we were near a door and I just stood still and waited...he would sit and give me eye contact, then I'd reward him with a walk! Sitting and eye contact also gets him up on the couch for cuddles too :)
All you need to do is be patient...just stand still, look away if they jump or act crazy as eventually, they'll figure out that nothing is working, they'll get bored, sit and or look at you as if to say..."hey...why aren't we doing anything?" that's when you jackpot them with the things they love (of course calmly...you don't want them to start jumping around!). Believe me...they'll remember after a couple repetitions!
You being still will cue the dog...to offer up something that they think I'd like to see....and a reward will follow!
