by Dianna Young
A common complaint that I hear from dog owners is, “My dog consistently breaks a ‘stay.’”
The stay is a very valuable command to have in your repertoire, and it’s worth teaching your dog how to do it right. We want the animal to understand that “stay” means no movement; none whatsoever. No movement of the feet. No scratching of the ear. No rolling on the back. No crawling on the tummy.
You will begin the lessons with on-lead coaching, and when a correction is necessary you should administer it immediately through the lead. A common mistake among many owners is to put the dog in a “sit,” or perhaps in a “down” position, direct it to stay and, when the dog gets ready to implement a break to warn it verbally. “Ah ah ah,” the handler will say. That may hold the animal for a few moments, and when it prepares to break again, the handler repeats the warning. The warning perhaps will be followed, or perhaps not, by a correction through the lead. Even if a correction follows, however, it comes too late.
via Stay Means Stay Camano Island Kennels training dogs to stay | Camano Island Kennels Blog.
