The Stay command is useful for enhancing your dog’s etiquette around the house as well as out on the town. Stay is also used to prevent your dog from being injured by daily distractions (i.e. the neighborhood cat/rabbit tempting your dog into the street).
Process
Start with your dog in the sit position in front of you.
Standing close to your dog (within 1 foot), say Stay and give a big stop sign hand signal.
Hold the hand signal for a few seconds. Treat and reward your dog for staying in position. Release with the OK command.
If your dog gets up, without words gently grab your dog’s collar and put your dog back in the sit position. Say Stay and issue the hand signal again. Reward your dog after a shorter period of time. Release with the OK command.
Increasing Time: Gradually increase the time interval by 5 seconds.
Increasing Distance: Gradually increase distance in half-foot increments.
Tips
- Never increase both time and distance.
- Shorten duration or distance if your dog is breaking the stay.
- Always end your training session with success. This may be a 5-second stay at a distance of 1-foot.
Related Lessons
Release Word – We show you how to communicate with your dog by teaching them a word that releases them from a stay or any trick.
Stay Proofing – We show you how to work on a guaranteed “stay” with your dog.
Stay at the Door – We show you basic door manners that prevent your dog from busting through the door of the house or car.
Stay in the Car – Tips on how to teach your dog to stay in the car when you open the door or hatch.