Pets
Teaching "Stay"
"Stay" means that your puppy should remain exactly in the position in which you left him until he is told he can move. This can either be a "sit" or "down" position. Two things release the puppy from "stay". One is your general release word, and the other is another request, which would automatically override the previous one to "stay". "stay" is only released by you when you are next to your puppy. Do not release him from "stay" at a distance. Your puppy must learn to have patience and remain calm and passive when in the "stay" position and wait for your return before he gets up. The important concept is that the puppy never decides when the "stay" is over -- he must "stay" (freeze in position) until you tell him he can move.There are three stages, which your puppy will learn when teaching this exercise. We call them the "3 D's": Duration; Distraction; Distance. All of these will be taught separately and once the puppy is proficient in all three stages, they will be put together. The first step is to work on "Duration" which will be covered now. The other two D's -- Distance and Distractions -- will be covered in the Advanced Course. Remember to always set your puppy up to succeed. We'll begin by only asking for what your puppy is capable of doing. If your puppy is not successful, always remember, it is not his fault. You might be asking too much; making the situation too difficult for your puppy at this particular time; or your puppy does not understand how to do what you are asking. Keep this in mind whenever you are training your puppy. Never move ahead to the next step until your puppy is successful for at least three attempts with the prior step. You are better off to go backward and end with a successful attempt, than to move forward too quickly.
Step:
If your puppy gets up before you have time to give him the treat, simultaneously tell him Wrong and put the treat away. Teach him that his reward will not come if he gets up. Begin the exercise once more.
Gradually build up to ten second "stay". This time ask your puppy to "sit". As soon as he sits, ask him to "stay". Calmly praise him and dip into your treat pouch or other hidden place for a treat. Give it to him and continue praising as you slowly reach for another treat. You can give him 2-3 treats during the ten second "stay". He will quickly learn that rewards come to him when he is inactive. If, at any time, your puppy gets up from the sit position, tell him in a matter-of-fact tone, "wrong" (meaning, "You are not bad, I am not mad, your behavior is wrong"), put the treat away and ask him to "sit". Once he is reseated, remind him to "stay". If he does not "sit", ask once more. If he is still not sitting, take a treat out, re-lure him into the "sit" position, but do not give the treat. As soon as he is sitting, remind him to "stay" and start again. If he continues to get up, you are probably moving the exercise too quickly.
Now begin to pivot slowly around your puppy. Take one step at a time. Do not add distance since we will be working on this later. Remind your puppy to "stay" and pivot to one side, then the other side so you are changing positions. Each time you move, you may need to remind him to "stay" and be sure to praise your puppy for remaining still. Always follow your praise with a food treat so your praise becomes a predictor to the puppy that his reward is on it's way so keep doing what you are doing -- you are right. If, at any time, your puppy thinks about getting up before he is released, tell him "eh! eh!" (meaning "don't think about it"). If he remains sitting after your warning, calmly praise him. If he continually gets up every time you offer him a treat, just put it away and start again. He will eventually learn that no treats are given if he gets up. If he waits to take the treat and gets up as soon as you offer it, you must teach him that food treats are not a release, they just mean "good job" and reinforce that what he is doing is correct. Therefore, as you are giving him the treat, remind him to "stay". Immediately praise him for two seconds and then release him. Never give a food treat on the release of this command. It is only given to reinforce a calm, inactive position, not on the completion of it.
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PETsMART Accredited Training Instructors, in addition to their previous experience, receive a minimum of 120 hours of training in a curriculum which includes: Canine Behavior, Learning Theory ("How Dogs Learn"), Problem-Solving, Classroom Management, Equipment, Handling Skills and more. Where possible, hands-on training is completed in partnership with local shelters, using shelter dogs to demonstrate training methods, behavior assessment and handling skills. This enables us to accredit our instructors while contributing to the community, as we help to make these dogs even more adoptable.
Suzanne Hetts Ph.D. is certified as an applied animal behaviorist and co-owner of Animal Behavior Associates, Inc., in Denver, CO.
Terry Ryan is the well-known author of training books such as The Toolbox for Remodeling Your Problem Dog and The Bark Stops Here.
Pia Silvani is the Director of Pet Training and Behavior at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J.
Mary Lee Nitschke, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at Linfield College, an Animal Behavior Therapist and the Director of Training for Animal School in Portland, OR.
Trish King is the Director of the Animal Behavior and Training Department at the Marin Humane Society in Marin County, CA.
Pamela J. Reid, Ph.D. is a certified applied animal behaviorist and assistant professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where she teaches veterinary students courses in Applied Ethology and the Principles of Learning.
Information and advice contained on this site is for your consideration only. Please consult your veterinarian for specific advice concerning the care and treatment of your pet.
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