August 25th, 2010
What do you do when you want your dog to do something, and then to remain in that do-something position? You teach him to stay.
When you tell your dog to stay, you’re letting him know that you want him to remain wherever he is. Once he understands this cue and responds to it correctly, you’ll be able to apply it to many situations. Do you want your dog to refrain from flying out the front door when you open it? Have him sit, but then tell him to stay. Do you want him to be with you when you have company, rather than perpetually nuzzling your guests? Have him lie at your feet, and then tell him to stay.
And no, your dog doesn’t need to perform a sit or a down to perform a stay. Case in point: you’re exiting your car, but want your dog to remain in the car until you’ve cleared the door. He may be standing, but he can still remain in place when you tell him to stay.
Before you teach this cue, your dog should know how to sit or lie down when asked. Initially, begin teaching in a low-distraction environment (such an environment is preferable when teaching any new cue, but is especially important when teaching the stay). Then, proceed as follows:
- Have your dog sit or lie down. Have a treat nearby and a clicker in your hand.
- Say “stay” in a long, drawn-out tone of voice, so that what you’re saying actually sounds like “staaaaaaay.”
- At the same time, open the palm of the hand that’s not holding the clicker. Place that palm at your dog’s nose level and about six inches away from his nose.
- Withdraw your hand, and move back one step. Then return immediately.
- Click, say the word “okay” (or “free” or “you’re done” or any other word or phrase to indicate that he’s released from the stay) and give him a treat. Praise him enthusiastically.
- Repeat the process, moving back two steps this time.
- Gradually increase the distance you move away from your dog, the length of time he must stay, and the distractions in his environment.
When your dog can consistently hold his stay for a good three minutes while you’re at the opposite end of the room or outdoors and with other activities going on around him, you can begin weaning your dog off the clicker and treats.
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2 Responses to “Teach Your Dog to Stay”
Susan McCullough has been a professional writer for 30-plus years, but didn't start focusing on dogs until 1996, when an overzealous Sheltie attacked and shredded a message that had been faxed to Susan's office. Instead of merely telling the sender "My dog ate your fax," Susan decided to see seek expert advice about how to share an office with one's animal companion. She turned that advice into an article for a national pet magazine, and she's been writing about dog behavior and care ever since.
Sometimes I forget how good Lilly’s stay is in certain situations in the house, and I’ll come back into the room quite a bit later and realize she is still “staying” because I never released her.
That’s why we sometimes use WAIT for short stays and STAY for longer ones, but that’s an advanced thing.
Many trainers differentiate between “wait” and “stay” in a similar manner. But such distinctions can be confusing to some dog owners. I tend to opt for keeping dog training simple, which is why I recommend an all-purpose stay. But as with so many other elements of dog training, your mileage may vary.