First of all thank you for your kind words. What you suggest in your reply is how I teach focus. First with no distractions and then once the behavior is shaped, with distractions. The reason this video was not narrated is because it was only going to be used for me as a training aid. Then the breeder of my GSD pup ask me to narrate beginning obedience for her use, so I did and this is a link to that video. It is far from professional (G) http://youtube.com/watch?v=BpqAStDsYuY . Although the video indicates he is four month old he is closer to three months of age. As you can see I am not using a leash and from what I can see this dog has not been mentally affected in any way due to my focus training. Please if you choose to use any of my methods via videos, use them as only as a guide and not as a "how to". Also the down in the video was just to get the pup use to down in different positions therefore I was not formally teaching this behavior.

To answer your question. I aquired the dog I speak of at about 8 months old with zero training. Basically from the age of 3 months from what I could tell this dog was fed, watered, and that was about it. She wouldn't stand for a brush touching her, had two seriously infected ears, was fearful of children and other dogs,She couldn't walk on a leash, come when called, or even acknowledge voice commands or signals. It was very sad indeed.

Food was another sore spot with her, she had zero self control because no one had ever taught her any kind of appropriate dog behavior of possession. Lab stomaches and hunger seem to be a deep hole into the earth.

The idea of holding still at the time wasn't an option. The first thing that I had to address was the not walking on a leash so I grabbed a baggie of cheese a flat lead, a normal training collar and OMG what a disaster. She was so focused on the cheese she wasn't paying any attention to me. She was also more than willing to climb me to get to the cheese. I was her last home one way or another so I needed to make it work in some way.

Ok.... so I put the cheese away, try biscuits... same thing.. liver nips were as bad as cheese. Finally with this dog for about 4 months I had to drop treats all together and just work on groundwork which sadly made her a kennel dog for about 4 months until we got her training squared away to a certain point.

6 months later (which is where we're at now) she comes when called, retrieves in water and low brush, walks well on a leash, stands for examination, and heels fairly well but we missed out on the usual treats I'd use with the other dogs. It simply blows her focus, on the flip side though I can use a toy now instead for the learning phase which I could not do when I first started.