If learning to “Come” when called is the first thing you need to teach your dog, then it would logically follow that learning to “Stay” would be the second.
I like to break this command into two sections, the Stay as in the stay where you are, and the AAATTT, as in freeze buster… don’t move a muscle. Both are equally important.
The Stay command takes patience and repetition to perfect and you need to take your dog’s attention span into consideration.
- Place your dog on the floor directly in front of you….make sure you have his attention.
- Hold your hand up in the stop position and say sternly…”staaaay”.
- Take a step backwards… If your pet moves, place him in the same spot and repeat the command
- Once you can take several steps backwards without your pet moving, use the “come” command and give him a treat.
- Increase the distance daily until you can leave the room without your puppy moving off the spot.
The AAATTT command is similar to the growl that momma dog gives her pups to keep them in line. It should sound like a growl and will get your pups immediate attention. Use it to set boundaries and to keep you dog from harm. A dog trained to respond to this command can be saved from running into oncoming traffic or eating something dangerous. Once you have your dogs attention then you can use the “Come” or “Stay” commands.
Using a combination of praise, attention, all natural dog treats and voice tone is an excellent way to communicate your requests to your pet.
Tags: dog commands, natural dog treats, positive dog training, stay command, teaching your dog to stay, using dog treats in training