Teaching Stay

Who wants to stay? We may not want to but a dog can, if we motivate him. Mick is just learning that if he watches me, and then I show him the money (treat), he can wait for me to come back to his side to get reinforced with a snack and a hug and a kiss. He’s new at this so we’re taking baby steps. After giving the command, I stood in front of him for a few seconds to remind him of his job. They I backed up a about 4 feet and then stood there for only about 5 seconds before returning to our starting point. We want our dogs to succeed so we need to keep the challenge manageable for them. Mick is only 5 months old so we’re taking it slow. Repeat this short lesson only about 3 times per day. Increase the distance and the stay time gradually. Be ready and willing to return to the beginning when the wheels fall off, which they will. If you’re happy in your work your dog will follow your emotional lead. Every dog can learn this. And, remember, never repeat a command. You can repeat gentle corrections.