Dogs and Distractions: 3 Games to Help Your Dog Stay Focused on Walks

Struggling with a distracted dog on walks? Discover 3 simple games — marker word, luring, and the 123 game — to keep your dog calm and focused.Dogs and distractions: three games to help your dog walk past them

City life is full of distractions for dogs. Scooters whizz past, people drop bits of food on the pavement, dogs appear out of nowhere and squarrels seem to deliberately taunt them. No wonder your dog sometimes feels overwhelmed and forgets you even exist.

The good news is that you can train your dog to cope with distractions and stay focused on you. It takes practice and patience, but it’s worth it, both for your walks and for your bond. Here are three simple games that will help increase your dog’s engagement during those trickier moments. 

1. The marker word game

A marker word is your dog’s signal that they’ve done something right. Choose a short word like ‘yes’ or ‘nice’ and always follow it with a treat. Practice this at home first so your dog learns the marker means reward.  Don’t just do it once or twice - it takes around 150 repetitions for a dog to reflex to a word!  I like to do this when I am feeding my dog as it means not only am I training them, but a lot of value is coming through me.

Then, when you’re out on walks, use it the moment your dog chooses to look back at you, as though they are checking in to see if you are still there or disengage from a distraction. The marker word becomes a way of saying ‘brilliant choice, here’s your reward.’ Over time, your dog will start offering that focus more readily.

2. The luring game

Sometimes your dog just needs a bit of help making the right decision. Luring uses food in your hand to guide your dog’s movement. If you see a distraction ahead, pop a treat in front of your dog’s nose and gently guide them past.

This isn’t bribery - it’s a way of showing them where to go and helping them succeed. Keep the movement smooth and relaxed, and praise them once you’re through. Gradually, you’ll reduce how often you need to lure as your dog gains confidence.

3. The 123 game

The 123 game is brilliant for creating rhythm and predictability. Dogs just love patterned games and this is an excellent one.  It also doubles as a recall if you use it a lot!  At first, walk backwards say ‘one’ and put a treat on the floor, take another step back, say ‘two’ and put a treat on the floor, take another step back say ‘three’ and hand the dog a treat from your hand.  I like to make the three sound different from the one and two because eventually you will drop feeding on the one and two.  Practice this at home and then when your dog is reflecting to the ‘three’, it’s time to take it on the road - or pavement! 

This gives your dog something consistent to focus on and builds trust that good things happen when they stick with you. The steady counting helps keep you calm too, which makes a big difference to your dog’s behaviour.

Final thoughts

None of these games are about forcing your dog through situations they find difficult. Instead, they’re about giving your dog the tools and confidence to choose you over the distraction. With time, you’ll find that walking past scooters, discarded rubbish or even other dogs becomes far less dramatic.

Next time you head out, pick one of these games and give it a try. It will make both of your lives in the city that bit easier. 

Want more help with distractions? I’ve put together a free set of videos showing you exactly how to play these games and build focus step by step. You can access them here: 

https://www.thecitydog.co.uk/pl/2148698682