Teaching Your Dog to “Stay” the Easy Way

It can be very difficult for a dog to understand that when we say “stay” we want him to do absolutely nothing but to stay in his position. It is not something to actively do so it is important they comprehend that at times doing nothing is exactly what we want them to do.

How to teach your dog to stay

The first thing you need to do is make sure your dog already knows the command “sit”. This way you can starting combining an action you require of him, sitting down, with the passive composure we are trying to get from him. So tell your dog to sit and once he is sitting use the same tone in telling him to “stay”. After a few seconds of staying in his position reward you dog with praise or a treat.

You can help him stay in position by staying close to him and make sure there are no distractions that could get his attention. By using your body language you can ensure he will stay still.

If your dog should break the stay, then go through the process of sitting and staying again. A few seconds at the start of training will suffice and then gradually build up the amount of time your dog remains in the stay position. Always reward with praise, and eventually your dog will understand exactly what you expect of him.

The next step is to start making it a little more complicated by asking your dog to stay and move away a little bit without him moving.

Dog Jumping - How To Stop It In Two Simple Steps

It’s so embarrassing… Your friend stops by for a visit and, before you know it, your dog has jumped up on him to say hello. This type of behavior isn’t just annoying - sometimes it can be scary too. Especially if your dog is large, or your guest is afraid of dogs.

Teaching your dog to not jump on people is really important, and it’s really not hard to do. That’s good - because no one likes being assaulted by your dog, not matter how cute he is! Those sharp nails hurt, not to mention the muddy paw prints on their clothes. And though most dogs are just jumping because they’re excited, others are actually doing it to show you who’s in charge. Here’s what I mean…

It’s true - the main reason dogs jump is because they are just plain happy to see you! Their adrenaline is pumping and they are excited about something. This happens when you come home after being gone for awhile - or when someone comes over to visit.

There is also a less common, but more serious reason dogs will jump on you.

Dogs are pack animals, and each member of the pack has a ranking. The “top dog” is the alpha dog. There are many ways dogs show who is ranked higher in the pack — for example, the alpha dog eats first. He goes through the door first. He also shows he’s superior physically. He will do this with other dogs by putting one or both paws over the other dog’s shoulders — and he will do this with you by jumping up on you.

You have to understand, you are a part of your dog’s pack too. If he’s jumping up on you at other times (not just when he’s excited) it’s likely he’s expressing dominance over you.

If you find that this is happening, you need to realize that you’re dealing with more than a simple jumping issue. Your dog thinks he’s your pack leader. It’s time to brush up on your alpha-dog techniques. Better yet, get some outside help. Since this is a more complex issue, you are going to need to make some serious adjustments to your overall relationship with your dog.

Fortunately, most “jumpers” are just doing it because they are excited. It’s not hard to stop this type of jumping. The most important thing is to be consistent. You can’t let your dog jump on you when you’re playing, and then get mad when he jumps on you as you walk in the door. To stop jumping, you need to teach him that it’s never okay to jump up on you.

This simple two-step technique is one that many trainers use to stop dogs from jumping.

The first step is very simple. You just ignore him whenever he jumps up on you. This means you withdraw all attention - even negative attention - so no yelling, shoving, or corrections whatsoever. The idea is to give him the cold shoulder.

How do you do this? Whenever he jumps on you, immediately turn your back to him. Your posture should tell him that this behavior just is not acceptable. Fold your arms, turn your back to him and turn your face away. Avert your eyes. Since dogs use body language to communicate with each other, he will know exactly what you are saying.

This isn’t a matter of ignoring the jumping. You need to completely ignore your dog. Don’t look at him, yell at him, or acknowledge him in any way. Trust me, without the encouragement of your attention, he will calm down very quickly.

Step two is very important. It’s a matter of timing, so even though you’re “ignoring” your dog, you have to pay close attention to what he is doing.

As soon as your dog stops jumping and has all four paws on the floor, you are going to praise him… a lot. Be wildly enthusiastic. He will see that by staying on the ground, he will get your attention. Don’t worry that he was jumping just a few seconds ago. He will associate your praise with NOT jumping.

This technique is simple, but it works. Give it a try today. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your dog learns. All he wants is your love and attention. By making sure he doesn’t get it when he’s jumping, he’ll soon become the well-behaved pooch you’ve always wanted.