S-T-A-Y Command - What's The Best Way?!

Buddie doesnt know stay that well, he doesnt like to be away from me. He likes to follow me around like a Pikachu you can say. Not sure how I am going to train him to stay, if he knows I'll return, ie: to bedroom or such he'll stay, I tell him to stay at those times since its an easy way to start I think to the word stay although I am not sure if thats a good way or not. If it even registers in his head of the word and action lol. I do praise him of my returning, but no clue if that is doing anything to him for teaching him this.

I put Max in a down or a sit (he prefers a down) and stand up. I give him a flat hand signal - palm outwards and say "Max Stay".

I don't stand front on to him, and I don't make absolute eye contact either. I look to a point just to the side of him.

Once I've given the initial command, I don't use Max's name again until I want to release him.

I'd start it in small amounts, standing by Buddie's side, so he knows you're not going anywhere.

Then try the same short time, but stand a little distance away from him.

Gradually increase the time and distance until you have enough "stay" that you require.

Currently, Max will do as long as I ask if he can see me, but only a few minutes if I'm out of sight.

The above is very sound & helpful advice. One thing I also do with my dogs is use a different word if I want them to stay till I return from the command for them to remain somewhere until I call them. If I am asking them to, for example, stay in position til their food bowl is put down & they are released I use wait so they know that stay always means I will return to them.

Thanks Sue!

I also use "wait" as a more transitory command. E.g. "wait" by a gate for me to catch up, or "wait" whilst I open the car door without moving, or "wait" for food etc.

Stay is a much more definite command - e.g. stay there until I tell you to move again/until I return.

I think it depends on what you need your dog to stay/wait for, as to which you teach first.

I find "wait" invaluble with a bouncy dog, as he would be out of the car and away without it!

Thats so true. I used it at home always but started to use it in training when I had a dog who would stay for ever when told but broke on return even if I'd just left him for 5 seconds. I never really managed to get this reliable hence I worked him in obedience where we only lost a small amount but couldn't do working trails where we'd have lost all our stay points. From him onwards I used both from the start.

Pretty much as others have said.. Flat hand and a sit, stay command.. little further as he/she gets better and loads of praise for success

Like most things it's about patience... Good luck

I did it just like the others have said, put in a sit then gradually move away as they get the idea. Once they had got that I moved on to leaving the room, starting off by coming straight back in, then leaving it longer.

If he moves from the sit before you ask, go back put him in the sit without a fuss and try again. Good luck

The only other thing I'd say is don't use stay at other times. I had a friend who had real problems with stays with both her dogs. One day I called for her to go out & heard her say to her dogs stay there & be good till Mummy comes back. Now obviously as we were going to be away for over 2 hours she didn't mean remain in that position, so this is what was confusing her dogs. She changed her stay word & gotalmost instant improvement.

On using the STAY command , I ask my dogs to sit and then say "Stay" with a hand signal Flat hand towards the dog, That should be done in little bites 4 paces and then gradually build it up to more. In thr GCGold Award it was 2 mins without moving . The wait command is used with a different signal as you are then going to give another command after that whether it be come or whatever
Practice thats it. I am on my 3rd Gold now and all the dogs are different just get their attention
Good luck