Teaching your dog to stay in one place for any amount of time is a useful skill for you, but it's a hard skill to teach, and like the 'sit' cue, should not be overused.
The stay cue can be one of the hardest skills for a dog to learn because it relies on your dog understanding that he has to stay in one place until you release him. Stay usually means the dog is either sitting or lying down and can't move from that position, and so care should be taken while teaching this cue. If you ask your dog to stay in a vulnerable position for any length of time in an environment or situation he's uncomfortable in, it can cause untold amounts of stress. Most dogs prefer to have the choice to move around when and if they need and 'stay' prevents them from doing that. However, stay is an important skill for your dog to learn because you might need to use it in an emergency situation.
The secret to teaching your dog to 'stay' is to not move through the stages too fast. Build the cue up gradually, lengthening the time and distance of the stay. This cue imposes a stop on your dog, telling him that he has to stay in one place until you tell him it's ok to move.
Is the 'wait' cue the same as as 'stay'?
Trainers have many different ways of using the stay and wait cues, but at Positively, wait is a momentary pause when the guardian is close to their dog. It is a check in and a re-focus that lasts a short amount of time, whereas 'stay' is when you need your dog to be in one place for a longer period of time, not necessarily close to you. 'Stay' usually relies on the person going back to the dog before he's released with an 'ok' or 'all done.'
Teaching Stay
STAGE ONE – Building Duration
- Start the process by putting your hand in front of you with your palm facing your dog and hold it there for a few seconds.
- Reward your dog’s attention and stillness with a treat paired with a reward word (such as 'yes').
- Repeat the action and add the word 'stay' as you put your hand up.
- Hold it there for a few seconds and then praise your dog, followed by a food reward.
- Once you have your dog’s focus, gradually lengthen the time that your hand is still until he's staying in one spot for one minute.
STAGE TWO – Add Distance
- Ask your dog to stay and take a step back.
- If your dog moves, lure him back to the original waiting place and repeat the exercise.
- If your dog stays in one place, walk back to him and reward with verbal praise and a treat.
- Repeat this process a number of times until your dog is really good at staying in one place; only then, increase the amount of steps you take backward until you can walk at least five steps away and back to him without him moving.
STAGE THREE – Increase Distance
- Repeat the first two steps while gradually increasing distance. Don't go too far too fast, but if your dog is responding well, you can make the distance as far as you want.
- If your dog breaks the stay at any point, go back to the previous distance and build up gradually.
- At this stage you are still facing him while backing away.
STAGE FOUR – Vary Your Body Position
- Dogs like to follow us when we walk away from them, so as soon as you ask your dog to stay and turn your back, he is likely to forget everything he has learned and follow you. That is why it's important to practice the 'stay' by turning your body and walking away from your dog as well as walking to his side or around him in a circle.
STAGE FIVE – Proofing the Stay Cue
- Can your dog stay in one place while toys are being thrown around him, when people run past, when the doorbell rings, or if you go out of sight? Verifying all of this is called proofing a behavior. When any learned behavior is taken to a more stimulating environment or situation, it makes it a lot harder for a dog to respond. Again, be careful with your expectations and be aware of what, where and when you are asking your dog to do this difficult skill.
Things to avoid
This is a hard cue to teach, so don't use it in places where your dog doesn't feel safe. Be really patient and make sure you build up the time first before increasing your distance. Advocate for your dog at all times and don't ask for too much too soon.
