Study Reveals The Best Way to Get a Dog's Attention

by Britt

Published: June 10th, 2025

Photo credit: Al More / Shutterstock.com

Whether it’s teaching a new trick or simply guiding them away from something they shouldn’t be chewing, getting our dog’s attention is a fundamental part of daily life as a dog parent. But it’s not always that easy, is it? We’ve all experienced the slight frustration of a dog who seemingly has selective hearing, haven’t we? Well, new research out of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna might offer us a more effective strategy.

A new study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B has shed light on the most successful way to grab your dog’s attention and direct their focus: a combination of pointing and looking directly at the desired object.

This may seem intuitive, directing their gaze through your own body language. After all, dogs are masters of reading body language. However, this study went a step further by tracking the dogs’ gazes with specialized headgear, providing concrete evidence for this recommended two-step approach.

The research team, led by Christoph J. Völter, outfitted a total of twenty dogs with cameras to record where their eyes were directed during a treat-finding experiment. This group included eight mixed breeds, four terriers, two Australian shepherds, two poodles, a collie, a flat-coated retriever, a German shepherd, and a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

An experimenter would hide a treat in one of two bowls and then use different cues to signal to the dog which bowl held the reward. The cues included pointing, gazing at the bowl, pretending to throw a ball towards it, and combining pointing with gazing.

The results were quite interesting! When the experimenter both pointed and stared at the correct bowl, the dogs were significantly more successful at locating the treat.

The researchers noted that the dogs’ gaze would typically shift from the experimenter’s face to their hand (the point) and then directly to the bowl containing the treat. This clear sequence suggests that the combined cues effectively guided the dogs’ attention to the intended target.

Pointing alone did prompt the dogs to look towards the hand, but it wasn’t as effective in directing their gaze to the specific bowl. Similarly, the pretend ball throw, while often getting the dogs to look in the general direction, didn’t lead to a focused gaze on the treat-containing bowl. Instead, their gaze quickly searched for the invisible ball before giving up and returning to the experimenter.

This highlights the power of a clear, directional cue like pointing, especially when reinforced with direct eye contact.

“Is it for them more like an imperative directive to go somewhere? Or do they understand it more in a communicative way?” Völter explained when discussing the results of the study. The research team believes more studies are needed on the topic before that question can be definitively answered.

What does it mean for us, dog parents? The next time you need to direct your dog’s attention to a specific object, remember the power of combining a clear point with direct eye contact. This scientifically-backed yet straightforward technique could be the key to clearer communication, more effective training, and a stronger bond.

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Britt

Britt Kascjak is a proud pet mom, sharing her heart (and her home) with her “pack” which includes her husband John, their 2 dogs – Lucifer and Willow – and their 3 cats – Pippen, Jinx, and Theia. She has been active in the animal rescue community for over 15 years, volunteering, fostering and advocating for organizations across Canada and the US. In her free time, she enjoys traveling around the country camping, hiking, and canoeing with her pets.

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Study Finds Owning a Pet Is As Good For You As Being Married

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