Teaching your dog to stay can be a very exhausting and tedious task for human and canine alike. In my practice, I've found that when working on this particular command, people get frustrated easily and dogs get bored. At that point, the owner just gives up and "Stay" becomes a thing of the past.
I'm a big proponent of using games in training, and I've found that there is one game in particular that will help your dog develop a rock solid Sit Stay while you both have a blast in the process. What is this magical game you ask? None other than the timeless classic Hide-and-Go-Seek! Many of my clients are shocked to find out that they can play this with their dog, but it's actually a lot easier than you may think. Let's break down the steps that are involved.
First, you need to build your dog up to about a 30 second Sit Stay. If you are diligent and rewarding appropriately, most dogs can accomplish this in 30 minutes or less. Keep it fun for both of you. Use high-value rewards (freeze-dried liver, chicken, cheese, etc.) and praise heavily if the dog seems to be losing focus. One of the biggest mistakes owners make at this first stage is moving too quickly. If you raise your criteria too soon (i.e. the duration of the stay), your dog will most definitely get bored, frustrated or tired and give up on the whole thing. Moving at the right pace for your dog is one of the keys to keeping your dog engaged because he is getting it right far more often than he gets it wrong.
Second, you need to practice keeping the dog in place while you move around and eventually move out of the dog's line of sight. The same guidelines apply here as in stage one. Don't challenge the dog too much, too soon. It is very difficult for many dogs to remain in place when you move behind them or out of sight. They instinctively want to follow you. So go slow and start by moving just one foot out of sight. Then the whole leg. Then one half of your body. Then move your whole body out of sight, but only for a split second. Then for two seconds... etc. Once you can remain out of sight for at least 10 seconds, you're ready to get down to business and play some Hide-and-Go-Seek!
Now, put your dog in a sit stay just like you've been doing. Keep him there while you move out of sight. This time, instead of returning to the dog to reward and indicate that the behavior is over, you will call the dog to you. Be enthusiastic and playful here - remember this is a game! When the dog comes running and finds you - make a big deal about it, praise heavily and make your dog feel good. Now repeat, increasing the duration of the dog's stay and increasing the complexity of the exercise by actually hiding rather than standing in plain sight. As your dog gets really good at this, you will find the strangest places to hide, and have an absolute ball watching your dog excitedly searching you out. Get creative, get weird, get fun!
Games like this teach your dog that obedience is FUN. They will enhance your dog's internal motivation to comply with your commands. They will make your dog WANT to be with you and pay attention to you. And they will make the training process more enjoyable for you as well. Additionally, this game is fantastic for dogs who need a confidence boost or who are insecure when left alone.
http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Fun-Way-to-Dramatically-Improve-Your-Dogs-Sit-Stay&id=9386708
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