Teaching your dog to “Stand” is an often overlooked cue that has practical and recreational uses: as a foundation skill for dog sports, for ease in handling and grooming, or to provide mental enrichment through training.
If you’ve started teaching your dog basic behaviors, you’ve likely begun with actions such as sit, down, or stay. You might not have considered teaching your dog to stand when asked, but the stand cue can be a useful addition to your dog’s skill set.
“Stand” means teaching your dog to rise from a sitting or lying down position and to remain in position with their back parallel to the ground. You might want your dog to stand up for a medical exam or when you put her harness on. Or maybe you want to teach a new skill for mental enrichment or to begin participating in a dog sport such as Rally Obedience.
As with all cues, you can start by catching your dog doing “stand” naturally and then reinforcing that behavior. The stand cue is easy to catch and reinforce.
Teach your dog the stand cue (lure the behavior)
Before you begin, decide if you want to start with your dog in a “sit" or "down" position, and always start with your dog in the same position. (If your dog hasn’t yet learned "sit" or "down," teach one of those first.)
- Start in a quiet area that has a non-slippery surface your dog is comfortable sitting and lying down on. Get some treats that you know your dog likes.
- Ask your dog to "sit" or "down." Get a treat in your hand and hold the hand just in front of your dog’s nose, but don’t give her the treat yet.
- Begin to move your hand forward very slowly, making sure your dog’s nose or mouth is still touching it as you move it. Your dog might hesitate at first because she might think she should stay. Use a happy voice and say something like "Get it" or "Come on."
- When your dog raises her body up, move the treat just a little more forward until her whole body is off the ground and she is standing still on all four paws. Then click or mark with "yes" and give her the treat.
- Reset your dog into the sit or down position, and repeat the process.
- When your dog is quickly following your hand forward and standing, you are ready to add a verbal cue.
Shift to hand motion (without the food lure)
You will want your dog to do the "stand" when you don’t have a treat in your hand, so it is important to stop using the food lure. You will still reward your dog after she does the behavior.
- Start by luring your dog into the stand position with the food in your hand, as you’ve been doing. Repeat this a few times so that your dog knows what behavior to do.
- Then, place the treat in your other hand and place that hand behind or back or clearly out of sight. If you’re using a treat bag, just keep your treats in the bag.
- Next, use your hand without the treat in it to lure your dog into the stand. When she stands, reward her immediately with a treat from your other hand or from your treat bag.
- Repeat this several times, until your dog will quickly stand when you don’t have a treat in the luring hand.
Add a verbal cue
When your dog is standing within a few seconds of luring her into positions, you are ready to add a word, or cue, to associate with the action of standing.
- Just before using your hand to lure your dog into the stand positions, say "stand.’’
- When your dog stands, give her a treat.
- Repeat this several times, always saying “stand" before beginning to lure your dog.
- Continue practicing over a few days time, and your dog should soon be standing when you ask.
Tips
- If your dog won’t move out of the sit or down at all, she might think you want her to stay. Toss a treat away from her and encourage her to get the treat, so she knows she is allowed to move. Then try again.
- If your dog pops up from the sit or down right away, that’s okay! Go ahead and reward her, because you might then be able to capture the behavior.
- If your dog rises up slowly, she might not be able to grip the surface with her paws, so move to a non-slip surface. She might also find it uncomfortable, so watch her carefully and have her examined if needed.
- Large-breed and older dogs will move more slowly, so repeat this behavior just a few times in a training session.
