[Back to Dog Training Basics]

The ‘stay’ command will give you the ability to ensure your dog stays out of trouble when you want him to. It’s probably the most tricky of the ‘basic’ commands but with some time and patience can be mastered.

Step 1: When your dog is sitting on command and after you have rewarded him for sitting, issue the “Stay” command while putting your hand in front of him.
Step 2: Move one step away and then back to his side. Be careful not to make eye contact while doing this and, if he doesn’t move, reward him. If he moves, calmly say “No”, return to his side and repeat until you get the desired result. As with any training, patience is key.
Step 3: Over time you can start moving further and further away but always make sure you are consistent with your rewards and fuss.
Step 4: As you get more confident try introducing distractions – the aim is to get your dog to stay until you say otherwise so use friends, other dogs and any other ‘dirty’ tactics that you can think of.

Short bursts of training generally work best so try not to go over 15 or 20 minutes in one session… and remember to have fun, treat it like a game and don’t get frustrated.