The Biggest Scam in Dog Training: Overusing Distraction Techniques

Dog training is full of myths, but one of the biggest and most damaging? The overuse of distraction techniques as the go-to solution for everything.

Yes, distraction has a place—but it’s not the magic fix some trainers claim it to be. If your gundog is pulling, lunging, or ignoring commands, constantly waving treats or making silly noises isn’t real training. It’s avoidance. And when it fails—because at some point, it will—it leaves you frustrated and your dog confused.

Let’s break down why distraction techniques are overused, misapplied, and often ineffective in real-world gundog training. Most importantly, we’ll cover what to do instead.

Why Distraction Isn’t the Same as Training

When we distract a dog, we’re simply shifting their focus temporarily. The dog isn’t learning why they should behave differently, just that something else grabbed their attention for a moment.

This can be useful in specific situations (which we’ll cover later), but if distraction is your main training tool, you’re not building a well-trained gundog—you’re just managing behaviours in the short term.

Example: The Classic Squirrel Scenario

Your gundog spots a squirrel and bolts. You frantically wave a treat, make high-pitched noises, or throw a toy to “distract” them.

One of two things will happen:

1. The distraction fails. The squirrel is more exciting than whatever you’re offering, and your dog ignores you.
2. The distraction works—but only for a second. Your dog turns to you, takes the treat, then immediately refocuses on the squirrel.

In both cases, distraction hasn’t solved the problem. You haven’t taught impulse control or recall; you’ve just hoped something more interesting than the squirrel will appear every single time (spoiler: it won’t).

When Distraction Techniques Completely Fall Apart

While distraction can sometimes prevent unwanted behaviour from escalating, there are key situations where it will outright fail. These are crucial for gundog handlers to understand because your dog is being trained for focus, control, and reliability in challenging environments.

1. High Arousal Situations (Prey Drive, Excitement, Adrenaline)

Gundogs are bred for focus and drive. If they’re in full predatory chase mode, no amount of waving a treat in front of their face will stop them. Their brain is in overdrive, tunnel vision is engaged, and your distraction is meaningless.

What to do instead:

• Build impulse control with controlled training drills (place training, delayed retrieves, structured recalls).
• Train engagement and responsiveness before distractions appear.
• Teach a disengagement cue like “Leave it” or “This way” so your dog learns to turn away from a trigger before the chase begins.

2. Fear & Anxiety

If a dog is nervous or reactive—perhaps they struggle with loud noises, new environments, or unfamiliar people—distraction won’t change how they feel. You can’t “distract away” fear. They might take a treat in the moment, but their stress is still there.

What to do instead:

• Use desensitisation: Slowly expose them to their fear at a comfortable level.
• Build confidence exercises: Reward calmness rather than just redirecting focus.
• Teach your dog they can trust you in uncertain situations, rather than always throwing a treat at the problem.

3. Reactivity & Frustration

If your gundog lunges at other dogs, barks at distractions, or gets overly wound up, distraction might seem like a solution—until they hit a level where they no longer care about your treats or noises. When a dog reaches their “threshold,” their brain is in fight-or-flight mode and your distractions won’t register.

What to do instead:

• Train engagement work at a distance where your dog is still able to listen.
• Teach alternative behaviours (e.g., sitting and watching you instead of fixating on another dog).
• Gradually reduce sensitivity to triggers rather than just avoiding them.

When Does Distraction Work?

Distraction isn’t useless—it’s just often misapplied. There are a few scenarios where it can be a helpful tool in your training arsenal.

✅ Preventing bad habits before they start – Young puppies who haven’t developed self-control yet can be distracted away from chewing furniture or pestering older dogs. ✅ Mild redirection for low-level distractions – If your dog glances at a bird but isn’t locked in, a quick engagement cue can help shift focus back to you. ✅ Management while training is in progress – If you’re actively working on reactivity or impulse control, some distraction techniques can keep your dog from rehearsing bad behaviours while they learn better habits.

But in all of these cases, distraction is a temporary tool, not the end goal.

What to Do Instead: Training for Real-Life Reliability

If we move beyond distraction-based training, what actually works?

1. Build Engagement First

Your dog should naturally check in with you, not just when you’re holding a treat. Practice engagement drills where they learn that staying connected to you is always rewarding.

2. Teach a Solid Recall and Disengagement Cue

A reliable “Come” and a well-trained “Leave it” or “This way” beats any distraction trick. Train these with increasing difficulty in controlled settings before expecting results in real-world scenarios.

3. Strengthen Impulse Control

Exercises like place training, delayed retrieves, and structured heeling all help your gundog learn to manage their excitement rather than needing constant redirection.

4. Train Emotional Resilience

Gundogs should be confident, focused, and adaptable. Exposure to various environments, controlled challenges, and gradual desensitisation to triggers help them develop this resilience.

5. Clear Communication > Constant Bribery

Dogs thrive on structure, consistency, and clear commands. If they only listen when you have a treat, you’re training them to respond to bribery—not to you.

Final Thoughts: Smarter Training, Not Louder Training

Distraction techniques are often overused because they’re easy—but easy doesn’t mean effective. If you want a well-trained gundog who listens in real-life scenarios, you need more than a pocket full of treats and a high-pitched voice.

Train understanding, control, and engagement, and you’ll have a dog who doesn’t need distractions—they’ll already know exactly what to do.

What’s Next? 🎯 Need help building a solid recall and disengagement cue? Check out our [free training guide]! 📌 Save this blog for later & share it with a fellow gundog trainer! 🐶 Tell us in the comments—what’s a situation where distraction completely failed for you?