Teaching your puppy the ‘stay’ command

"Stay" needs considerable practice when training your puppy. The stay command is best taught once your dog has learnt both sit and lie down.  Your puppy will find this command difficult to learn, as his normal instinct will be to follow you, so again be very patient.    

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. To start off with give your dog the ‘sit’ command.  Once sitting start walking away from him slowly at the same time giving the command ‘stay’.

2. Keep walking away and if your dog gets up to follow you act shocked. 

3. Take him back and go through it again.  Again start with ‘sit’ and walk. 

4. Once he has ‘stayed’ for even a few seconds go back and shower your pup with praise and give him a treat.

This command needs to be repeated, both increasing the time of the ‘stay’ and also increasing the distance you walk away.  It should get to the point where you can give the command and then walk out of the room only to come back and find your dog in the same place.

'Stay' is very useful when wanting to put a leash on your dog, when walking your dog and when cleaning up around the house. I have used it on several occasions when glass has broken in the house and my dog has been intrigued by the sound.

Return to Dog Obedience Training