Did you know… our Alpha Spirit treats bags are perfect for training treats?
Whether you are teaching your puppy tricks or the basics, keep a bag of Alpha Spirit in your pocket to reward them for getting it right!
Today we are helping you to teach your dog to ‘Stay’
Step 1: Make sure that you are training your dog in a relaxed and quiet environment. Too many stimulants or distractions will be detrimental to the training, so we recommend as little people and sounds as possible. A familiar place, such as the home, is preferable for carrying out the training.
Step 2: Ask your dog to sit and reward them immediately for following the command. Encourage them to get back up, and then repeat. The purpose of this step is to reward for being in the ‘starting’ position before you leave or move away from them.
Step 3: Ask your dog to sit again but wait a moment before rewarding them. Encourage them to have a break and move around before repeating. Increase the time between asking the dog to sit and offering a reward until they can sit still for a longer period of time.
Step 4: Once you have mastered this, begin adding the command ‘stay’. Ask your dog to sit, tell them to stay, and wait 5-10 seconds before rewarding them. Encourage them to move around, and then repeat, until your dog follows the command well.
Step 5: Once your dog can sit still for at least 10 seconds, start mixing up the time between them following the command and offering a reward, making it unpredictable. The purpose of this is to make sure the dog can’t predict how long to stay and won’t attempt to move until commanded. If your dog is struggling at this point, they may be bored and tired – let them have a brief rest and then work on the process again.
Step 6: Ask your dog to sit and stay. Move away from them, not too far, and then return back to your original position and reward them for not moving. Encourage them to get up, move around, and then repeat.
Step 7: Always make sure to return to your dog, rewarding them on return. Make sure to only reward them when they are in the original sitting position, otherwise they may think they are being rewarded for getting up.
Step 8: Try moving away in different directions, further distances etc. This teaches your dog that regardless of how far away you move, they will still only get the treat if they remain in place.
Step 9: Once your dog has got the hang of the command, try adding distractions and try in different locations. The aim is for your dog to know to ‘stay’ regardless of locations. If they are struggling to follow the command in new places, go back a few steps to remind them.