# How do you teach the "stay" command?



## LuxysMommy (Feb 28, 2007)

I'm having no luck with this command, especially when she sees that I have a treat in my hand. What is the best way to teach her this?


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

Here's the basics of how I taught Chase. Stay is his best behavior right now.

Try teaching sit-stay first...although if the pup lays down it's okay for now. 

Put the pup in a sit (on leash), with him on your left side. 
Put your hand in front of his face like you're directing traffic and say "stay". Slowly take a step forward, rotate and stand directly in front of him.
Return to his side, treat, if you use them, give him a release word (we use "okay") and excitedly step forward a few steps (with him).

If he breaks, just put him back and try again. 

Gradually, build to more distance, and move around him.


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

I trained Carson's stay in a practical situation. Everytime I go out into the garage, or yard...or anything, he want's to come with. So I used that. Before I opened the door, I would grab a treat, and have him sit. Then I'd use the hand like a stop sign, and say "stay." Then I opened the door and went out. If he tried to follow me, I'd shut the door and repeat until he got the idea....then he got the treat before I went out. We're still working on it, but I don't have to fight him to go out to the garage anymore.


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

Carsonsdaddy said:


> I trained Carson's stay in a practical situation. Everytime I go out into the garage, or yard...or anything, he want's to come with. So I used that. Before I opened the door, I would grab a treat, and have him sit. Then I'd use the hand like a stop sign, and say "stay." Then I opened the door and went out. If he tried to follow me, I'd shut the door and repeat until he got the idea....then he got the treat before I went out. We're still working on it, but I don't have to fight him to go out to the garage anymore.


There are a lot of practical situations. Years ago I had a GSD who would go nuts when she got her meals. Since then, I've taught my dogs to sit for their meals. My mother hates that I make them sit until they're released before they can eat. She thinks I'm torturing them! For Kali, she's not really wrong. That's one hungry Lab.


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

JimS said:


> There are a lot of practical situations. Years ago I had a GSD who would go nuts when she got her meals. Since then, I've taught my dogs to sit for their meals. My mother hates that I make them sit until they're released before they can eat. She thinks I'm torturing them! For Kali, she's not really wrong. That's one hungry Lab.


You teach your dog patience if you make him wait for his meals. It's also teaching your dog that the food comes from you (the pack leader).


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

I make Micah do that too, he has to be patient with for his meals.

He now knows that he needs to sit when I'm holding the food bowl and while mixing the contents. He also recently learnt that he cannot budge until the bowl has reached the floor.

My record with him was holding the bowl in front of him and he just stared and the bowl and didn't move for a little more than a minute! 

My arms got alittle tired though


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

And doesn't the drool pour while you're getting the food into the bowl?! 

Brooks even starts drooling when he goes over to his food container and touches it with his mouth (his signal to us "Hey! It sure seems like it would be a good time to eat something around this place.")


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

He doesn't actually. Maybe he just hasn't grown up old enough to drool yet 

Although I am somewhat struggling with the actual STAY command though I think he gets what I mean...

I don't know if I'm doing this right but I basically get him to sit.

I walk away slowly backwards. Usually I start with a step and wait for 5 seconds and treat.

Then slowly I progress to taking bigger steps and a longer wait...


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

Dh and I have Wiggles trained so that I can put the food bowl down in front of him with him in a sit-stay or down-stay and I can walk away, turn my back and get him water from the sink without him touching the bowl until we tell him to "take it".

Wiggles drools too when he sees food. It just kind of runs down both sides of his jowls. Unfortunately, he usually does this when he sees me eating fruit and I give him the last piece. I end up with drool all over the carpet and in my lap


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## goldencity (May 26, 2005)

When teaching stay, start small. Its easier with a sit stay at first, tell pup "sit" then say "stay", with your hand in front of their face. At first, they will only stay still a milli second. This feels like ages to a pup. You need to get in quick with the command "here" [or whatever you say] and the treat, before they get up.
Gradually they will wait longer, it is a good idea to practise in practical situations like other posters describe. But dont expect overnight results- these things take time!


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

tintallie said:


> Dh and I have Wiggles trained so that I can put the food bowl down in front of him with him in a sit-stay or down-stay and I can walk away, turn my back and get him water from the sink without him touching the bowl until we tell him to "take it".
> 
> Wiggles drools too when he sees food. It just kind of runs down both sides of his jowls. Unfortunately, he usually does this when he sees me eating fruit and I give him the last piece. I end up with drool all over the carpet and in my lap


How did you teach Wiggles that ?


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

JimS said:


> Here's the basics of how I taught Chase. Stay is his best behavior right now.
> 
> Try teaching sit-stay first...although if the pup lays down it's okay for now.
> 
> ...


Perfect advice!


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

IvanD said:


> How did you teach Wiggles that ?


it took awhile, but this is how we started it. we first placed wiggles in a sit in front of his food and everytime he would lunge at the food we would move him back to the original spot and replace him in a sit and then say, "wait" or "stay". We would count out like 10s, 20s 30s, 60s etc as he got better and would release him with a "good boy " or "take it". our trainer wants us to prepare him so he can be in a down stay for an hour.


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## IvanD (Mar 25, 2007)

Well, Micah can do that. Well kinda, at least he won't lunge at the bowl until it touches the floor... But even if he can sit there just watching. I think he would start eating the moment I turn my back...


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## tintallie (May 31, 2006)

It takes time for the puppy to learn that they only move when you say so. Wiggles used to try lunging after a minute or so and DH would put him back in the same spot in a sit stay and make him wait longer!


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