Field Guide · Glossary
Engagement
Skills and cuesA dog choosing to attend to their handler rather than to everything else available in the environment.
How it works
It underpins every other outdoor skill, because a cue can only work on a dog who is available to hear it. Engagement is built by being worth attending to: paying attention when it is offered, keeping sessions short enough that the dog is still interested at the end, and not competing with an environment that is currently too interesting. A dog who cannot engage in a particular place is usually being asked to work too close to something, rather than being disobedient.
What it looks like
In a quiet parking lot a dog offers eye contact within a second or two of the leash going on. In a busy park, the same dog does not look up for a full minute. The skill did not disappear between locations. The competition changed.
Commonly confused with
- The check-in
- A check-in is one specific instance of engagement, offered after the dog has noticed something difficult. Engagement is the broader willingness to attend to a handler at all.
Related terms
In the reading list
Gear that helps
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Flirt pole
A lure on a pole for a fast, satisfying chase that burns real energy in a small yard. We also use it to teach impulse control: chase, then "drop," then chase again.
High-value freeze-dried training treats
The paycheck. For reactive work the reward has to beat the trigger, so we keep these tiny, soft, and genuinely exciting, not everyday biscuits.
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