How to Train Your Dog to Stay – Step by Step

Training is one of the most important things you can do for your dog. Many people let their dogs do whatever they like, reasoning that they will enjoy their freedom as much as we do. In the wild, however, dogs need structure and they need an Alpha dog. This is just how their instincts work; they will be submissive to the Alpha dog and do what he wants, but if no Alpha dog can be found the dog will assume the Alpha position itself. When this happens, it is very difficult to control the dog because they view themselves as superior. You must constantly be the Alpha dog in order to train your dog to do anything; this means striking a balance between firm and rewarding. In order to train your dog to stay, you must follow these steps. 

1) As you stand facing your dog, have it on a leash and tell it to sit. The leash should be about 10 feet long; long enough to allow some movement, yet short enough to stay in command.

2) Say “stay” calmly and incorporate a hand motion as you take one step backwards. Repetition of this word in a calm manner will help your dog to remember it better. A good hand motion to use for the “stay” command is an open palm facing downwards towards your dog (similar to a stop signal).

3) If you can take one step back and your dog does not move, reward him/her with a treat and lots of praise. The best thing to do when your dog does something right is to appreciate it and let him know he is pleasing you. Your dog will always want to please its Alpha. If however, your dog moves after you (which he may the first few times; it’s nothing to worry about), simply tell him “no” and start again from step 1. It is important to show your dog that you are displeased; however you should never hit your dog or force it to do anything. Be firm and rewarding when he does the right thing.

4) If your dog has mastered staying while you take one step backwards, try it again with 3 to 5 steps. Remember to praise your dog if he catches on, and just try it again if he hasn’t caught on to multiple steps yet.

Practice makes perfect. The more you train your dog to stay, the more it will respond to the “stay” command. It is important to realize that dog shave very short attention spans and repeating a command for too long a period of time can actually be counter-productive. Train your dog to stay for about 10 minutes then let it go and enjoy its free time. You can always try it again in a few hours; you just don’t want to overwork your dog, or bore it for that matter. The key to teaching your dog anything is consistency; teach him/her the trick you want regularly and each time you do, try to make it the same as your last teaching (use the same leash, try for the same location, same hand motions etc). Good luck on being the Alpha dog!