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Positive Dog Training Tips and Basic Behavior Cues

How to Train Your Dog to Stay or Wait in Place

The following technique is an excellent way to build a reliable and relaxed stay. Practice the steps in various rooms and locations including your dog’s mat or bed. Read station training.

 

Watch how to teach a dog to stay in this YouTube video.  Don’t forget to subscribe for more free content.

Teaching a Dog to Stay in Place Time First

• Start with your dog in a sitting position. After every second, give your dog a treat. After you have given your dog five treats (5 seconds) say “OK” or “All Done” and encourage your dog to get up. Do not make a big fuss about the getting up part; the sitting/staying step is what you will want to focus on. Repeat 5 times.
  • If your dog is successfully sitting/staying, without getting up for the five treats in step 1 increase to two seconds before giving your dog his reward. In other words, he sits for two seconds, receives a treat, continues sitting for another 2 seconds, another treat, receiving 5 treats in total. Repeat for five sets again before giving him his “OK” or “All Done” cue.
  • You will build this stay one second at a time until your dog can master 5 seconds, 5 repetitions. Once this happens, say your stay cue first. So it will go like this: Your dog sits, you say “Stay” count to five, treat, count to five, treat, count to five, treat, count to five, treat, count to five, treat, say “OK” or “All Done” and encourage your dog to get up.
  • If your dog gets up before giving him your release cue, calmly lure him back to his sit position. Do not reprimand him, or tell him “No”. If he continues to get up this means the time is too long and the task is too difficult. Decrease his time, in order for him to be successful, even if it’s 2 seconds. You want him to be successful.
• Repeat the above sequence in your dog’s lie down position in increments of 1 second until he is able to master 5 seconds.
• Once you have added your stay cue and have a 5-second sit and down stay, you will continue to increase the time he is in a stay. Keep with the theme of adding 1 second at a time and doing 5 sets before adding more time. So 6 seconds, five sets, 7 seconds, five sets, etc. I do not typically recommend doing much more than one minute in a sit stay since it takes more muscle control to hold that position.

 

Stay Dog Training Video Demo

Teaching a Dog to Stay in Place Time First

Teaching Your Dog to Stay in Place Distance Second

After your dog can do a minute stay, it is time to work on distance, or moving away from your dog. So now we are going to focus on steps away, not seconds.

• Start with your dog in a sitting position. Give him his stay cue, take one small step back then return to your dog and give him a treat. Repeat this five times, giving your dog a treat after every step away and return. After your five sets say “OK” or “All done” and encourage your dog to get up.
• • If your dog cannot hold his sit position when you take a step back, make it easier by only moving one foot slightly back, return your foot, and treat. Again, you want to find the balance so your dog can be successful.
• Continue your distance training by adding one step at a time. Instead of one step back and return and treat, take two steps back, return and treat. Do 5 sets at each level before adding an additional step.
  • Remember if at any time your dog is not successful, take fewer steps. You want him to build confidence and be successful so do not, under any circumstances, reprimand him.
  • Teach your dog how to do this in both the sit and down positions.

Adding Distractions-when you are asking your dog to work on his stay behavior around distractions such as being outside, around guests, or other dogs, you must start the training process over at the time stage and rebuild.

Training Excerpt from Please Stay: Help for a Dog with Separation Anxiety 

Does your dog have a good stay behavior? Tell me in the comments.

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