Teaching a Dog to Stay!

Teaching a Dog To Stay  

Teaching your dog to stay is one of the most useful commands you can teach. You will probably find you use this command at least once a day, if not more!

As mentioned in our Blog ‘Dog Training Basics’ begin the training session by checking your mood and time schedule. If all is okay:

1. Using his knowledge from previous training sessions, tell your dog to sit (if this is the position you wish him to ‘stay’ in!).
2. Simply begin by standing in front of your dog for 1 to 2 seconds. This may not seem long but it is best to start gently. If your dog continues to stay in the position required of him, praise him and give him a treat.
3. As you have given the praise & treat, it is okay if you dog should walk away at this point. When ready, begin the process again but extent the time to around 5 seconds. If your dog moves away before his release command, simply and calmly begin the process again.
4. Once he has mastered 5 seconds, we must then introduce the verbal command and hand signal. To do this, follow step 2 but simply say ‘stay’ when in the required position and hold your hand out as if you are making a stop sign. Reward his behaviour as in step 1. Continue this step, extending the ‘stay time’ which each session.
5. Gradually your dog will learn that there is an association between the command ‘stay’ and the act of staying in the one spot.
6. If you feel your dog has easily sussed the stay command, try moving the environment in which you are training. There will be new distractions for your dog and this will help to reinforce the training command.
7. You can take the ‘stay’ command even further by extending the distance and duration of the ‘stay’. Only change one at a time though. Doing too much too soon will only serve to bombard your dog and cause him to lose focus.