Capturing is a training technique where you reward a behaviour your dog offers naturally, without asking for it first.

Instead of cueing, luring or physically guiding the dog, you simply wait for the behaviour you want — such as looking at you, moving towards you, settling or checking in — and reinforce it when it happens.

Over time, the dog learns that offering that behaviour voluntarily is worthwhile, so they’re more likely to repeat it.

In this lesson, we’re keeping things really simple: building a dog that wants to choose you.

We’ll start by rewarding your dog every time they naturally move towards you or offer you attention, simply by dropping a treat onto the floor.

There’s no need to call them, lure them or repeatedly ask for their attention. We want your dog to begin noticing that choosing to come towards you makes good things happen.

Once they understand the game, we’ll add movement. You’ll begin walking away and allowing your dog to catch you up, before rewarding that choice again.

This is the beginning of creating a dog who actively wants to stay connected with you — something we’ll build on throughout the challenge.