Training your dog to “stay” stands to be one of the most basic of lessons, falling in with the “sit” and “roll over” commands.
A
basic that comes in handy when controlling your dog becomes a need,
teaching your dog to “stay” holds a lot of value as a command, one which
any dog owner can identify as useful and practical.
Here are step-by-step tips which touch up on how to train your dog to stay.
These
methods aren’t exactly 100% surefire steps in teaching any dog to stay,
since not all dogs have the same temperaments and learning curve edges.
But they have proven to be effective in most dog training cases, thus the reason why they’re featured here.
1. Position your dog to “stay” and stand directly in front of him/her
– getting your dog used to this setup (or position, call it what you
may) would be a good first step in starting the training process. Get
your dog used to the idea that by being in a single “rooted” position,
he or she is doing something good. Set the idea, and set it well. You
can implement a “reward and punishment” system in instilling this
lesson, to allow better reactions and understanding. This may not seem
to be the most efficient way, but it has lasting results that last
through a dog’s lifetime.
2. Reinforce the position with a verbal command or hand signal
– once your dog gets the idea that staying is good, reinforce the
position with a verbal command or a hand signal indicating a call for
the position or stance. You can work with hand motions and doggy
reactions (like waving your hand before your dog, palm down, facing your
dog), deal with voice commands in calling for the “stay” position, or
implement a combination of both voice commands and hand signals. Again,
you can implement a “reward and punishment” system in enforcing this
lesson.
3. The three D’s involved in the “Stay” Command
– after getting your dog acquainted with the “stay” command, you can
now consider variables to reinforce the practical sides of the order.
Professional
dog trainers often label this stage as the three D’s, where duration,
distance and distractions are considered as test variables in
determining how well your dog follows the command. Given that you’ve
managed to get your dog to stay in controlled environments, enforcing
the command in situations and places outside initial training areas is
next, with variables added into the mix in doses.
You
can opt for calling the command in the garage, then in the driveway,
then head on out on the sidewalk, etc. The key is to get your dog used
to the notion that even with external variables, the command has to be
followed.
As
already mentioned, the steps above aren’t 100% surefire methods in
successfully getting dogs to stay, but most dog owners have found them
to be efficient in training dogs how to stay. Also, the steps above may
seem straightforward enough, but the time aspect involved in their
implementation isn’t universal, taking days or months at a time to cover
each step.
All
in all, as with all training methods, patience has to be involved, and
making do with the “rewards and punishment” system should be used
judiciously.
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