Teach your dog to stay
Three variables: duration, distance, distraction. One at a time.
Stay is a tricky cue: it looks simple but hides three difficulties that must be trained separately. Mix them too fast and they all break. Golden rule: one variable at a time.
What you get
- Safety at crossings and outdoors
- Manners with guests
- Lets you take a call or cook without him crashing the door
It's the test of how much your dog trusts that the situation is under control.
Before you start
- · Knows sit or down
Materials
- · Treats
- · Open space
Step by step
- 1
Variable 1: duration
With your dog sitting next to you, say "stay" with your open palm in front of his face. Wait 2 seconds, mark and reward. Build to 5, 10, 20, 30 seconds. If he moves, go back to the previous time.
- 2
Variable 2: distance
Drop back to 2 seconds but take a step backwards. Return, treat. Then two steps. Then five. Duration drops when distance goes up.
- 3
Variable 3: distractions
Close, short duration. You clap softly, drop a paper, jump. Anything weird. If he holds: party. If he moves, milder distraction next time.
- 4
Combine all three
When all three variables are at 80% separately, start mixing them in real sessions: stay before going out, before the bowl, at the park.
- 5
Release word
Teach a clear release word: "ok!", "free!", "go!". He doesn't move until he hears it. This is what makes the cue reliable.
Common mistakes
- Raising all three variables at once
- Forgetting the release word
- Rewarding after the dog has moved
If something isn't working
He gets up as you step away
→ You raised distance too fast. Drop back to half a step for 10 reps.
Pro tips
- Practice stay at the door before every walk: 10 seconds of waiting = walk. Best daily investment you can make.
Deep dive
Stay is the foundation of advanced obedience and the most useful tool in everyday life: vet visits, crossing the street, guests arriving. Its real difficulty lies in separating the three variables and building them patiently.
Other exercises in this level
Teach your dog to sit
The first trick every dog learns. The gateway to obedience.
Teach your dog to lie down
The calm cue. For terraces, cafés and quiet evenings.
Teach your dog to come when called
The most important cue you will ever teach. Literally.
Teach name recognition
The cornerstone of attention. Before any cue, comes this.