Training your dog to stay is a valuable skill that requires patience and consistency. By breaking down the process into manageable steps—starting with duration and gradually adding distance and distractions—you can build a strong foundation for a reliable stay command. Here's how to train your dog effectively, ensuring they learn to stay focused and obedient in various situations.
Choose a quiet place to practice with few distractions so it is easy for your dog to focus on you. To train a successful stay, build it one step at a time: First duration, then distance, and finally distraction. Once your dog is good at all three, you will put them together.
The duration exercise:
Step 1. Stand in front of your dog. Tell your dog, "Stay" in a cheerful tone of voice, pause for a second, then give the stay hand signal: Hand out in front of you, palm facing dog. Praise and treat. Repeat a couple of times to get your dog into the game.
Step 2. Now tell your dog to stay, pause for a second, give the stay hand signal, and take a small step back with both feet. Pause here for one second (one-one-thousand). Return to your original position. Praise and treat. Repeat several times.
Step 3. Slowly increase the number of seconds you wait before you return to your original position. Remember to praise and treat each successful try. (Note that we don't add distance now. This exercise is for learning duration, and we start at kindergarten level to make it easy and fun for your dog.)
Step 4. Eventually, you will be able to wait for a considerable time before you return to your original position. When you can stand 2 feet away for 10 or 15 seconds without your dog getting up, it is time to work on the second component of stay-distance.
Training Tip :
Vary the length of the stay; for example, do some that are 20 seconds and some that are 5 seconds.
Troubleshooting:
If your dog gets up, say, "Too bad" in the same tone of voice you would say, "Bummer." After a mistake, immediately ask for another stay, this one a bit easier, to give your dog a chance to be successful and earn a treat. Then work your way up to the stay that was too difficult.
If your dog is making more than the occasional mistake, you are going too fast. Go back to something easier and work your way up from there. Remember, the secret to teaching stay is to start easy and go slowly.
Mastering the Distance - STAY
Practice this exercise:
Step 1. Stand in front of your dog and say, "Stay" cheerfully. Pause, then give the stay hand signal: Hand out, palm facing dog. Praise and treat. Repeat to engage your dog.
Step 2. Direct your dog to stay, pause, signal with your hand, and take a small step back with one foot. Immediately return. Praise and treat. Repeat several times.
Step 3. Instruct your dog to stay, pause, signal with your hand, and step back with both feet. Immediately return to your original position. Praise and treat. Repeat.
(Note: This exercise focuses on learning distance, not duration. We start at a basic level to keep it enjoyable for your dog.)
Step 4. Gradually increase the number of steps you take back, returning in front of your dog each time. Remember to praise and treat upon return.
Step 5. Progress to longer distances. When you can walk 10 or 15 feet out and return without your dog moving, it's time to introduce distractions during the stay.
Training Tip :
Vary your distance from the dog: At times go out 10 feet, at other times 3 feet.
Troubleshooting :
If your dog gets up, say, "Too bad" in the same tone of voice you would say, "Bummer" and try again. If your dog breaks the stay when you move your feet, begin by only moving a shoulder. If your dog is making more than the occasional mistake, you are going too fast. Go back to something easier and work your way up from there. Remember, the secret to teaching stay is to start easy and go slowly.