Positive reinforcement classes should be fear-free and force-free. Your dog should enjoy learning and you should enjoy teaching. I have been teaching fun and successful dog training for twenty-six years. Join us!
Positive reinforcement dog training should be fear-free and force-free. Your dog should enjoy learning and you should enjoy teaching. I have been teaching fun and successful dog training for twenty-five years. Join us!
The difference between Wait and Stay can mean the difference between successful management vs everyone running down the street chasing the fluffy lighten-bolt that is their dog.
Dog training commands should be simple, but can often become complicated and confusing for the dog (and human too).
For example, if one handler uses command “X” to mean one action for their dog, and then another person uses command “Y” for the same action, our dogs are left having to remember which word which person uses for which command. And, handlers are left wondering why their dog isn’t understanding and preforming simple commands.
“Say what?”
The dog’s internal response is probably the dog version of, “Honestly, I’m not sure what either of you mean.”
To make life easier for everyone, dog, handlers, parents, kids, dog-sitters, trainers, etc., it is imperative that everyone in the house use the same command for the same behavior.
The Wait and the Stay commands are often used interchangeably.
In a home with low distractions, one dog, and no kids, this is probably not a huge problem. However, when we start layering the distractions like kids, other dogs, many visitors, etc., the difference between Wait and Stay can mean the difference between successful management vs everyone running down the street chasing the fluffy lighten bolt that is their dog.
The definitions of Wait and Stay in standard dog training are…
Wait – Hang on a second or two, (a short duration) then receive a follow-up command or release word.
Stay – Hold position, freeze in place for an undetermined length of time (could be awhile).
The difference is often hard to see at first, but in the dog’s head it is a major difference in difficulty.
Wait is something a dog can usually achieve even when they are cranked up by exciting visitors, or stressful situations.
However, the Stay is harder to hold depending on how stressed or excited a dog might be.
To understand this in terms we humans experience, we need only look to air travel. We experience differences in difficultly between a short fifteen minute wait to board our airplane, verses the delayed flight that could be hours. One is much harder than the other for different reasons for different people, but in the end, the two different lengths of delay are very different demands on us.
Here are some sample situations where I would use the Wait and Stay commands differently:
Wait
Dog wants to go outside
Ask for wait before opening the door.
Door is opened only if dog holds position for a few seconds
Aunt Millie is knocking on the door
Ask for a wait
Door opens if the dog is holding position
Once Aunt Millie is in, the dog gets the go say hello command.
Baby drops toy
Ask dog for a wait
Pick up toy before dog gets there, or redirect the dog with a touch command.
Stay
In an elevator
Ask for a stay
Dog freezes in place for the duration of the ride regardless of the number of people getting in and out
At the veterinarian
Ask for a stay for the examination, shots, blood draws
Your veterinarian will thank you
At a traffic light
Ask for a stay
Dog freezes in place for the duration of the light regardless of the distractions that go by, like bicycles, skateboard, other dogs, etc…
Your dog will learn the difference between these two commands because once you have an understanding of what the commands are, you will mark and reward the appropriate behaviors.
You give your dog the WAIT command and he holds a position for a short duration – Praise and Reward.
You give your dog the STAY command and she freezes in place for an interval between one and three minutes – Praise and Reward.
The best dog training class instructor will teach humans and dogs alike using science based, force-free, fear-free training.
I have been offering fun and rewarding training classes in the northern Westchester, Putnam, and western Connecticut area for almost twenty-five years.
āEvidence supports the use of reward-based methods for all canine training. AVSAB promotes interactions with animals based on compassion, respect, and scientific evidence. Based on these factors, reward-based learning offers the most advantages and least harm to the learnerās welfare.ā
AVSAB Position Statement on Humane Dog Training
The best dog training class instructor will teach you and your dog to do more than sit, down, stay, wait and the basic commands.
I teach handlers how to communicate with their dogs to help their dogs do the right thing and be the best, happiest dog they can be.
Fun and rewards allowed this team to build a perfect and happy focus!
Teaching handlers how to read their dog teaches them how to understand and communicate with their dog.
To help you learn how to communicate with your dog, I will teach you how to read your dog’s body language. Knowing what your dog is signaling will help you teach them and keep them happy and calm. This book by Turid Ruggas is the primer on your dog’s body language, “On Talking Terms with Dogs, Calming Signals.“
We all learn better when we are having fun! Dog training classes should be fun and make everyone happy. There should never be force or fear used to teach.
Sit/Stay with dots and toys.
The best dog training class instructor will understand that it is so much more fun to proof sit/stay when playing the dots-and-gizmos game.
