It has been a month now since you started working with your dog on the ‘stay’ command. By now he should have it down to a fine art but how do you know? Have you dropped the leash and walked away ten steps before returning? Have you dropped the leash and walked a 360 degree circle around your dog? Have you dropped the leash and gone to stand behind your dog for a minute? This is a tough one as they like to keep an eye on you. The rules are that as long as they do not break their ‘sit’ or ‘down’, they can turn to keep you in sight. However, if they start to left their bottom or stand up, a gentle ‘eh, eh, eh’ is required to remind them that they are still in a firm ‘stay’.

They have passed all those tests with flying colors? Now for the tough one! Another ‘proofing’ for the stay command is a gentle tug. Put you dog in a ‘sti/stay’ and then step out to the end of the leash facing your dog. Now, gently pull on the leash. Your dog should stay in their ‘sit/stay’ even if you are pulling on the leash. If his butt starts to lift, remind him he is in a ‘stay’ while releasing the pressure on the leash. Put him through a few more normal ‘stays’ and then try the pull again. He should remain sitting until you release him from his ‘stay’ and command him to walk with you.

Keep working on his ‘stay’ until he passes this proofing test consistently