How To Teach Your Dog The "Down/Stay" Command

Place the dog in the down position, either with a command or a lure, then stand on the leash close to the dog’s collar. The leash should be short enough to keep the dog from standing up. Give the “stay” command.

Click and treat every few seconds for as long as the dog remains in the down position, especially when any distractions occur. When you deliver the treats, be sure that you do not unintentionally lure the dog out of the down position. Try to give treats to the dog by either dropping them between the dog’s front paws or leaning down briskly to place them on the ground between the front paws. Don’t dangle the treat in front of his nose so that he has to strain upwards to take it.

If the dog attempts to get up, keep your foot (or feet!) planted on the leash, and quickly lure the dog back into the down position. Do not just stand there while the dog struggles to get up. This will only frighten him, and if you have a large dog you may end up getting your feet jerked out from under you. Your goal is to show the dog that a) it is impossible (or at least very uncomfortable) to get up, and b) you get tasty treats for being in the down position.

After a minute or so, release your dog from the stay by cheerfully saying “okay” and removing your foot from the leash. Be sure to say “okay” before you step off the leash. Don’t make too much of a fuss over the dog after you release him; the fun part for the dog should come while he’s lying down.

Over time, increase the length of the stay. As a rule of thumb, add about 30 seconds per training session. After about a week of daily sessions, start adding mild distractions. Click and treat every time your dog experiences a distraction and doesn’t try to get up.

Some good beginning distractions: Drop your keys a few feet away from the dog. Clap your hands. Whistle. Slap the side of your leg. Pet your dog. Have people walk by at a distance without trying to attract the dog.

More advanced distractions (week 2): Drop a treat on the ground a few feet from the dog. Have people walk past him. Toss a magazine on the ground. Do stays with children playing nearby. Have someone honk a car horn. Have someone walk another dog past him. Swing your arms around in circles.

Really tough advanced distractions (weeks 3 and 4):

Have someone try to entice your dog out of position, first using inviting voice commands, then trying to lure him with treats. Have someone walk their dog up and have it stay a few feet from yours (only if both dogs are friendly). Throw your dog’s favorite toy.

Have children and adults pet him. Have children run past him. Practice in congested areas (storefronts, playgrounds, etc.) Over time increase distractions and length of the stay until the dog will remain down for about five to ten minutes with intense deliberate distractions. Only then should you remove your foot from the leash and start to move away from the dog.

Go to a quiet area with no distractions and practice with your feet on the leash for a few minutes. Then place your dog in a down, but don’t stand on the leash. Step in front of him and stand just a couple of feet away. Reward him frequently for staying, and make sure you deliver those treats right between his paws so he isn’t tempted to creep forward to get them.

Should your dog try to get up, reprimand him with a sharp NO! and lead him right back down. When you feel that the dog will stay, move just a little further away (to maybe 4 feet). At this point you’ll need to click, then step forward to give your dog the treat. Always click when you are at a distance from the dog, then bring the reward to the dog. The dog thinks the click marks the exact moment that he earned the treat, so doing this will reward him for staying when you are at a distance from him.

Move a couple of feet further away during each training session. Should your dog move from position, reprimand him with a sharp NO, lead him back to where he was supposed to be staying, and put him back in the down position. Then repeat the exercise. If your dog keeps breaking the stay, you may have advanced too quickly. Take a couple of steps back in your training program (stand closer to the dog, or maybe go back to standing on the leash), then proceed forward more slowly after a bit of remedial practice.

When the dog will stay with you standing ten or twenty feet away, gradually reintroduce distractions and length of the stay.

- from K-9 Dog Training Resources


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