Teaching your dog to stay

"Stay" is an important command. A dog that performs it reliably is a pleasant companion in many everyday situations. The easiest way for the dog to learn it is to "stay" with the help of a word command, visual cues and treats.

Why is the "Stay" command important?

If you teach your dog very reliably right from the start that he is only allowed to stand up from "sit" or "down" when he receives a release command - such as "o.k." - you could actually do without the "stay" command. However, everyday experience shows that this is rarely done consistently. Most dogs need a little reminder that a certain command is still valid and should be maintained. "Stay" is very suitable for this.

The command can be given to the dog while standing, sitting or lying down. It is therefore suitable at home, for example, if the dog is to stay in its basket. It is also suitable on the train, on the bus or in a restaurant when he is supposed to sit or lie next to you. It is also ideal in road traffic before crossing a road. The "Stay" command tells your four-legged friend to stand still until he receives the command to leave. These exercises can also be very useful in the dog park.

Practicing "stay" with your puppy

Before you start practicing the "stay" command, a dog should first be able to "sit"and "down". This is because you usually want him to stay in one of these positions. With a puppy, you should be lenient at first and be happy if he obeys a command for even just a few seconds. Puppies and young dogs have a very short attention span. After a few training sessions at the latest, it's back to playing, roughhousing and running around. Understand that this is completely normal. The best way to adapt is to plan several short training sessions throughout the day.

How do I teach my dog to "stay"?

A dog needs to understand what is required of him. That's why every command should be slow and broken down into comprehensible steps . If it doesn't work straight away, don't assume that the dog is doing it on purpose. Think about what options you have to make it easier for him to understand. For the "Stay" command, it is particularly important to extend the time very slowly.

It is best to proceed as follows for the "Stay" command:

Have treats ready
Equip yourself with a bag of fine treats. This will give you the full attention of almost every dog. They serve as "positive reinforcement". As soon as the dog has done something right, it receives a reward. In the beginning, it is enough if he has only carried out a command for a few seconds and you were standing right next to him. Later on, treats are only given when the command has been carried out satisfactorily. Bear in mind that you should deduct a somewhat larger treat ration from the total daily food supply.
Time and place should be coordinated
If your puppy is in a playful mood, it's time for a walk or the dog has just gone to sleep, it's not a good time for training. The dog should be exhausted and in the mood to do something. For a new command, it is important that there are as few distractions as possible. At home or in your own garden is often a suitable place. If there is too much hustle and bustle, look for a secluded spot in the countryside where the dog will not be distracted by other dogs or even wild animals.
Start with the "down" command
You can ask a dog to "stay" in "sit", "down" or "stand". To begin with, it is advisable to practise the "stay" command when the dog is lying down. This is because it is most difficult for him to move away from this position. He cannot simply start running, but must first stand up, which is often recognizable and easier to stop than when sitting or standing. So the first command you should give your dog is "sit". If this does not yet work smoothly, you should first consolidate this. You can find detailed instructions in our article "Teaching your dog to sit".
The "Stay" command
As mentioned above, some dog owners train very intensively right from the start that a command is no longer valid until it has been resolved. In this case, "Stay" could be dispensed with. However, it is then often necessary to repeat the "sit" or "down" command several times. Many dog owners decide to work with "Stay" to maintain a command. To train this, proceed as follows:

As soon as the dog lies down, take a step backwards, give the command "Stay" and combine this with a hand signal, this could be a palm held out towards you. Approach him again immediately and reward him. Then release the command with "ok", for example, and make it clear to your dog that he can stand up.

A short time later, repeat the commands: First "sit", then "stay". Ideally, you should get a feel for how long you can use the command before the dog stands up. Just before that would be the best time to stop it. It is quite possible that this will only be a few seconds at the beginning and that you should not move more than one meter away from the dog. This is normal and no reason to throw in the towel.
Practice and gradually increase the requirements
The aim of the "Stay" command is to teach a dog to stay in a certain position for a longer period of time - even from a greater distance. Decide for yourself whether you also want to train it in "sit" or first increase the requirements in "down". You can do this quite simply by demanding"Stay" for longer and longer periods of time. To make this clear, you should not repeat the word command too often. Instead, you can keep your hand signal for the command for a longer period of time.

The longer and more reliably the dog holds its position, the further you can move away from it. It is very pleasant when a dog not only responds to commands when you are standing right next to him, but also when you are a few meters away. Over time, you can also increase the distraction requirements. Train when other people or dogs are nearby, hide behind a tree for a few seconds or ask for the command before crossing a road.

It is important not to ask too much of the dog too quickly, but to increase the demands slowly. This requires regular training.