How to Clicker Train a Stay

Clicker training a dog to stay will make this behavior more reliable off leash and at a distance than using leash corrections or constantly repeating the word "Stay".

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clicker savvy dog
• Clicker
• Treats

1. Ask your dog to sit or lay down close to you. You may want to have them on a leash or tether to minimize the possibility of mistakes.

2. Give the hand signal for stay. This is usually done by holding your hand in the same way a traffic cop orders traffic to halt--with your arm extended in front of you with your wrist bent so that your palm is facing your dog and the back of your hand is facing you. You may also use the word "stay" but use it once and do not chant stay, stay, stay...

3. Count to three. If your dog does not move, click and treat. If he moves try having him stay for only 1 second at first. Do this step a few times, increasing the amount of time you wait to click by 2 seconds on each repetition.

4. When your dog will hold the stay position for ten seconds, give the hand signal and take a step to the side. Click and treat him if he does not move. Continue adding steps until you can get about six feet from him. Reward his behavior for staying still when you step away by clicking and treating.

5. Increase the duration of the stay behavior gradually by delaying the click. When your dog has a solid stay for a two minutes add distractions such as people walking by or staying in another location. If your dog will not stay with a new distraction, try something less stimulating for a little while until the behavior is more reliable.

6. 

   Your dog should not get up without hearing a release word once he has learned to stay. Select a release word that you will use every time it is okay for him to move from the stay position. Pair it with the clicker for a few training sessions until he knows that the word means he is released.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep training sessions short 3-5 minutes is plenty
• Do not say the verbal cue until your dog is doing the behavior.
• Do many short training sessions per day
• Begin fading the use of the clicker as your dog responds to verbal cues reliably
• Train old behaviors like new behaviors in new places, around new people, or in the presence of other animals. Act as if your dog has not learned the behavior, and start at the beginning, until he has generalized the cue.
• Smile at your dog while training. Speak in cheerful tones. Clicker training is fun!
• Do not chat with your dog while training him, it confuses him as to what word he should be listening to.
• Do not repeat cues, if your dog is not responding to a verbal cue change something you are doing or make adjustments to the training environment.