Implied Stay
When you tell a dog to sit, the stay is implied, meaning they are to remain in the sit until released or given another command.
Overview: Teaching Stay and Impulse Control
Purpose: Training your dog to remain in a commanded position helps reduce impulsiveness, encourages focus, and builds a calmer, more observant demeanor.
Place Command: This lesson will use the “Place” command, but the principles apply to any command where "stay" is implied.
Optional Word: You can use “Stay” if desired, but it’s not required and won’t affect the outcome of the training.
Stay Expectations:
For non-competition training, “Stay” doesn’t have to mean perfection (e.g., “don’t move a muscle”).
It can simply mean:
“Don’t leave this spot.”
“You can adjust to a more relaxed position (e.g., lie down during a Sit-Stay) but can’t leave until released.”
Tailor the definition of “Stay” to fit your goals.
Videos
Teach Your Dog to Stay
Learn the steps in teaching the implied stay.
How to Teach the Implied Stay
Steps for Teaching Stay with “Place” Command
Initial Command: Start by giving your dog the “Place” command.
Marking & Rewarding: As soon as all four paws are on the place, mark with “Yes” and reward them.
Duration: Continue marking and rewarding while they stay on the place.
Correction for Breaking Stay:
If they move off, wait for the first paw to hit the ground.
Say “Nope” and guide them back to the place using leash pressure, body pressure, or hand signal.
Stay calm and wait until they’re back on place before releasing leash pressure.
Give a verbal “Good” but don’t mark immediately to avoid a feedback loop.
Mark & Reward After Stay: Once they remain on place, mark and reward after a brief pause (a few seconds).
Add Distance & Time:
Start stepping back and increasing the time between markers (e.g., from 5 seconds to 7, 8, etc.).
Vary the time between markers (e.g., after 5 seconds, 7 seconds, then 2 seconds next).
Walking Away:
Begin walking away in different directions while monitoring their stay.
If they break the stay, reduce the distance or stop walking away.
Practice successes near them before increasing distance again.
Set Up for Success:
Avoid too many mistakes. If they’re struggling, make the task easier and gradually increase difficulty.
Advanced Obedience: Once the stay is consistent, move to Advanced Obedience - Distance & Distractions.
Teaching the Verbal “Stay” Command
Start with Luring: Lure your dog into place.
Say “Stay”: Once in position, say “Stay” and use a hand signal (like ‘stop’).
Mark and Reward: Mark and reward, then release with “OK.”
Increase Duration & Distance: Slowly increase the time and distance between markers.
Alternatives: You can say “Place” or “Sit” then add the verbal “Stay” and hand signal.
Verbal Stay Command: In verbal stay, your dog can sit, stand, or lie down, but must not leave the spot.
Release Command: Always return to your dog to release them from the stay.
*If you marked “Yes” and the dog breaks their Place before delivery, say “Nope.” A “Nope” overrides a positive marker. You don’t need to give the treat; just say “Nope” and guide the dog back with the leash. Stop moving before marking and don’t move until after. Dogs may associate your approach with treats, potentially marking unwanted behaviors.
Non-Reinforcement Marker “Nope”
Conditioning the "Nope" Marker:
The "Nope" marker is used to signal when the dog breaks the behavior (e.g., leaving the "place").
The dog should stop and return to the previous position upon hearing "Nope."
Leash pressure should immediately follow the "Nope" marker, guiding them back to the place. Once they return, the pressure should stop.
Timing is crucial: The "Nope" marker should happen within a second of the dog breaking the stay.
Consistency is Key:
Each time the dog breaks the stay, mark with "Nope" and guide them back to the position with leash pressure or hand signal.
They must learn that trying to leave the place is ineffective and will always result in being guided back to the correct position.
This process makes staying on the place more rewarding than trying to leave.
Correct Timing:
If you miss the moment when the dog breaks the stay (e.g., by getting distracted), the opportunity for correction is gone.
Any delay in marking or guiding them back will confuse the dog, and they'll think you're correcting something they did later, not the break in stay.
Therefore, timing your correction is critical to ensuring they learn what behavior is being corrected.
Final Tip:
Make sure to be consistent with the "Nope" marker and leash pressure every time the dog breaks the stay. This will help them understand the rules clearly and strengthen their stay behavior.
Week 1 Homework
Practice this 1-3x a day on commands your dog knows and where a stay is implied.
Ask your dog to sit or place. Here’s where you can say “Stay” and give a ‘stop’ hand signal if you want.
Reward short durations and work up to a few steps away.
Keep the 3 D’s (Duration, Distance, Distraction) as low as possible this week.
Week 2 Homework
Begin to gradually lengthen the amount of time you ask for a stay. Every dog is different so you may be at 4 second stays or 2 minute stays.
Remember if they break position simply mark “Nope” and use your body pressure moving in while giving them the hand signal to help them back into position. You can also use leash pressure.
Give them verbal praise for being back in the right spot and then continue to mark and reward for easier duration and distance so they don’t fail but instead succeed!
Week 3 Homework
Continue as before but increase the difficulty of one of the 3 D’s (Duration, Distance, Distraction) at a time.
Add in a down-stay if your dog knows the verbal “Down” at this point.
Week 4 Homework
Start to ask for stays that last longer. It depends how your dog is doing but you may be at 10-20 seconds or 5 minutes.
Continue to treat them for staying in their place, but if they are doing well, increase the time between treats.
Always be ready to mark “nope” and intervene if they break position.
It can be helpful to have them place or down next to you while you watch TV so you can reward them easily, intervene easily and work on duration while keep distance and distractions at a low level.
In separate sessions, increase the distance you and your dog, but keep the duration very short.
Be aware of the level of distraction and only ask for short easy stays if they surrounded by lots of interesting things.
Week 5 Homework…and Beyond
You will continue to help them generalize the stay and to work in more and more distracting environments.