Stay is a fairly easy trick for most adult dogs. Puppies will have
difficuty with this trick- but it's great for developing concentration
and self-control.
This method of teaching a dog to stay- although it starts out very,
very structured- is how you eventually teach your dog to stay in any
position or even in awkward places.
Stay should, at first, be taught from the heel position on a leash.
Walk with the dog at your left side, stop and have the dog sit. Extend
your left hand down and place it directly in front of the dogs nose-
touching or just an inch from the nose. Say "stay" very firmly. Step
out in front of the dog- just 6 or 12 inches from the dogs nose and
wait just 30 seconds or less. If the dog does not move, return back to
the dogs side, treat, and praise "good stay, good stay". If he does
move (remember, you are standing very close, so he shouldn't be able to
move other than just standing) push him back into a sit and say "stay",
wait a few seconds, then return to the side and praise.
In the early stages of teaching your dog to stay, the idea is to move
and treat before the dog thinks about moving. As he
catches on, extend your hand in front of his face to signal stay, step
in front of him close, and wait longer and longer periods. It may help
to hold the treat in your hand and let the dog watch and concentrate on
the treat.
When your dog can handle two or three minutes without moving, it's time
to start taking one or two steps back when you signal him to stay. If
the dog stands and tries to move, simply place him back into position.
You can train sit-stay and down-stay simultaneously, but when you can
do a sit stay for three or more minutes standing at the end of a
six-foot leash, then you are ready to work on the notoriously difficult
"stand stay". (Typically taught to show dogs, but very useful at the
vets or groomers)
Once your dog can stand in these positions, stay is a great trick to
start applying in the house and for fun. I love taking silly pictures
of my dog and teaching a reliable stay has enabled me to "place" her in
a complicated position with a certain head tilt or paw lifted, tell her
to "stay" and have her hold that position until I release her.
Training a dog to stay is not easy for most dogs. Keep in mind that
energetic dogs will need to learn this trick slowly.
