
Sit & Stay Training
The stay aim of the stay command is to keep you dog fixed to the spot. To achieve this goal, you can’t rush this process, teaching your dog to stay is a done in stages. You need to build up the command stay, firstly by, increasing the time and distance your puppy/dog is in the stay. This command can teach your dog impulse control, and this command can also be used in a variety of situations, such as not rushing to go out of the door, or to stop your puppy/dog rushing up to visitors to your home, how about before crossing a road? This command has a variety of uses, but only if taught properly.
Training Techniques:
Firstly to develop the duration that your puppy/dog is in the sit position, you need to start by putting your hand in front of you with the palm facing your dog. You then hold your hand in that position for a few seconds. Then straight away reward your puppy/dogs for its concentration and your puppy/dogs ability to stay, use a treat and combine it with reward phrase of your choosing such as “good dog”. Repeat this process over and over and add the word 'stay' as you put your hand up. Again hold it for a few seconds and then praise your puppy/dog, followed up by a food reward. Once you feel that you have your puppy/dog’s focus, you can then gradually lengthen the time that your hand is still until you have achieved a stay on the spot for one minute.
Secondly the aim is to increase the distance between your puppy/dog whilst holding the stay position. Using your command instruct your puppy/dog to stay and then take a step backwards. If your puppy/dog moves, take them back to the original position and place, then repeat the exercise. If your puppy/dog stays in place, walk back to them reward immediately with the praise and a treat. Repeat this process time and time again until your puppy/dog is completing the stay in one place each time you are achieving this. Only then can you increase the distance between you and your puppy/dog, and back again without them moving.
The third stage of this process is to increase the distance between your puppy/dog and at each time your puppy/dog stays put. To do this you need to repeat the first two steps whilst gradually increasing the distance between both of you. Set your puppy/dog up for success by not rushing this, however if your puppy/dog is responding well, you can make the distance as far as you want. If they break the stay at any point, you will need to go back to the previous distance and again build up the distance gradually. At this stage you are still facing your puppy/dog while backing away.
The fourth stage is to vary your body position as puppy/dogs like to follow us when we walk away from them, it’s that invisible lead, so as soon as you command your puppy/dog to stay you can then turn your back to them, don’t worry as they are very likely to forget everything they have just learned and follow you. However is why it is important to practice the 'stay' by turning your body and walking away, as well as walking to their side or even maybe try walking around her in a circle?
The final stage is to test your sit command with distractions. For example can your puppy/dog stay on the spot if you are throwing toys in different directions, please note don’t throw the dog directly to your puppy/dog. How about if someone run past your puppy/dog or if the doorbell rings? The most difficult stay is if you are out of sigh, when your puppy/dog can do this then you know they’ve nailed it. When any learned behaviour is taken to the next level, such as a different environment or situation, this makes staying put in one place more of a challenge for your puppy/dog to master. Don’t be discouraged as most puppies/dogs can get to this point with the use positive reinforcement.
What Not to Do:
The stay command is very hard for your puppy/dog to master, and it’s not a command that you should rush, don’t go too far too fast, again set your puppy/dog up to win. You will need to be very patient and ensure that you slowly build up the time your puppy/dog is in the stay command before you start increasing your distance away from your puppy/dog.
The stay aim of the stay command is to keep you dog fixed to the spot. To achieve this goal, you can’t rush this process, teaching your dog to stay is a done in stages. You need to build up the command stay, firstly by, increasing the time and distance your puppy/dog is in the stay. This command can teach your dog impulse control, and this command can also be used in a variety of situations, such as not rushing to go out of the door, or to stop your puppy/dog rushing up to visitors to your home, how about before crossing a road? This command has a variety of uses, but only if taught properly.
Training Techniques:
Firstly to develop the duration that your puppy/dog is in the sit position, you need to start by putting your hand in front of you with the palm facing your dog. You then hold your hand in that position for a few seconds. Then straight away reward your puppy/dogs for its concentration and your puppy/dogs ability to stay, use a treat and combine it with reward phrase of your choosing such as “good dog”. Repeat this process over and over and add the word 'stay' as you put your hand up. Again hold it for a few seconds and then praise your puppy/dog, followed up by a food reward. Once you feel that you have your puppy/dog’s focus, you can then gradually lengthen the time that your hand is still until you have achieved a stay on the spot for one minute.
Secondly the aim is to increase the distance between your puppy/dog whilst holding the stay position. Using your command instruct your puppy/dog to stay and then take a step backwards. If your puppy/dog moves, take them back to the original position and place, then repeat the exercise. If your puppy/dog stays in place, walk back to them reward immediately with the praise and a treat. Repeat this process time and time again until your puppy/dog is completing the stay in one place each time you are achieving this. Only then can you increase the distance between you and your puppy/dog, and back again without them moving.
The third stage of this process is to increase the distance between your puppy/dog and at each time your puppy/dog stays put. To do this you need to repeat the first two steps whilst gradually increasing the distance between both of you. Set your puppy/dog up for success by not rushing this, however if your puppy/dog is responding well, you can make the distance as far as you want. If they break the stay at any point, you will need to go back to the previous distance and again build up the distance gradually. At this stage you are still facing your puppy/dog while backing away.
The fourth stage is to vary your body position as puppy/dogs like to follow us when we walk away from them, it’s that invisible lead, so as soon as you command your puppy/dog to stay you can then turn your back to them, don’t worry as they are very likely to forget everything they have just learned and follow you. However is why it is important to practice the 'stay' by turning your body and walking away, as well as walking to their side or even maybe try walking around her in a circle?
The final stage is to test your sit command with distractions. For example can your puppy/dog stay on the spot if you are throwing toys in different directions, please note don’t throw the dog directly to your puppy/dog. How about if someone run past your puppy/dog or if the doorbell rings? The most difficult stay is if you are out of sigh, when your puppy/dog can do this then you know they’ve nailed it. When any learned behaviour is taken to the next level, such as a different environment or situation, this makes staying put in one place more of a challenge for your puppy/dog to master. Don’t be discouraged as most puppies/dogs can get to this point with the use positive reinforcement.
What Not to Do:
The stay command is very hard for your puppy/dog to master, and it’s not a command that you should rush, don’t go too far too fast, again set your puppy/dog up to win. You will need to be very patient and ensure that you slowly build up the time your puppy/dog is in the stay command before you start increasing your distance away from your puppy/dog.