Week 2 Sit Stay with Distractions

 Equipment Needed: 6' Leash, Training Collar (or slip leash can be used instead for both) 


 

 

Explanation and Goal of Exercise: Great for keeping a dog stationary when doing chores around the house.  Stationing a dog in any human or canine social environment when needed.  To keep the dog from greeting too enthusiastically by learning to wait and greet when allowed.  There are many other uses for this exercise. 

 

The dog is required to perform the position of the command, and stay there until the release word is given. This is also the beginning of the dog understanding that when you move the rules of stay remain the same. The handler/owner will be increasing the duration first, add in distractions, and finally add on distance from the dog to this exercise. 

 

 

NOTE: AS DISTRACTIONS AND DISTANCE ARE ADDED TO THE EXERCISE, IT IS ENTIRELY PROBABLE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO START AT LESS TIME THAN BEFORE.  GENERALLY, YOU CAN QUICKLY BUILD THIS UP AGAIN.  TRY NOT TO RUSH THE DOG TOO MUCH.  IF YOU CAN NOT A GET A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF REPETITIONS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, THAT USUALLY MEANS YOU HAVE RUSHED THE DOG TOO FAST.  BACK DOWN ON THE TIME. 

Beginning movement/distraction for the dog: 

 

STEP 1: From the heel or random position, place the dog into a sit. 

STEP 2: Give the command you have chosen like “Sit” or “Sit Stay” or “Stay”. 

STEP 3: Begin by circling around them once closely to begin (then you will build this up to a minute by adding on circles as they are successful at each step). 

STEP 4:   If they get up or do not self-correct (meaning the dog's butt goes partially up, but then they realize they should not and go back into position themselves), be sure to give a sit correction and start that repetition again. 

STEP 4A: If the dog attempts to get up, there are a few ways to save the command.  (1) You can step out quickly in front of them, then walks towards them if their butt didn't entirely come off.  This usually makes the dog sit back down.  (2) If you time the sit correction right, you can have them sit back down before their butt gets up (3) use spatial pressure by stepping towards them.  

STEP 4B: If your dog was successful by staying in place OR self-correcting themselves (this is an important learning step for the dog), then give the praise and keep going marker word “Good” boy/girl and a low-key pat (unless your dog needs the higher praise because they are shy or fearful, and not likely to become unglued due to the stimulation). 

STEP 5: Give your dog the release word marker, “Yes”.    

STEP 6: Do each repetition 15 times while under 30 seconds. When you reach 30 seconds that you can start at, then you can just work to 1 minute four times in a row (working up from 30 seconds) DO NOT increase the duration until your dog can successfully do them four times in a row at the old duration. You want to build this exercise up to one minute before going on to the next step. 

 

***There are more directions to continue after these notes. However, in this exercise move back from the nose to knees position until you can stand about six feet away (i.e. usually two and 1/2 strides away) 

 

Increasing the distraction level for the dog: 

NOTE: AS DISTRACTIONS AND DISTANCE ARE ADDED TO THE EXERCISE, IT IS ENTIRELY PROBABLE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO START AT LESS TIME THAN BEFORE. GENERALLY, YOU CAN QUICKLY BUILD THIS UP AGAIN. TRY NOT TO RUSH THE DOG TOO MUCH. IF YOU CAN NOT A GET A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF REPETIONS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, THAT USUALLY MEANS YOU HAVE RUSHED THE DOG TOO FAST. BACK DOWN ON THE TIME. 

 

 

 

There are a number of things that you can add to the above, as distractions added to your circles or instead of your circles.  

 

  • Sit on a chair. 
  • Squat down in front of the dog. 
  • Bounce a ball around the dog. 
  • Throw toys away from the dog into the area.  (Later on, as distance is worked on, you can throw toys or roll toys towards the dog. 
  • Change the area to the beach, dog park, grocery parking lot, during a walk in the neighborhood et 
  • Skip or hop around your dog. Act silly in any way. 
  • Work in a park or beach where leashed dogs, joggers, skateboarders, or children are. 
  • If noises or tv motion is distracting to your dog, you can find audio and video on YouTube to practice around these noises. 

 

 

Same rules as above. 15 reps and not increasing distraction level until they can do 4 out of 5 under a distraction.  As they get used to each one, you can start alternating. 

 

 

 

Increase distance level for the dog: 

 

 

 

STEP 1: Begin working by stepping out a few inches with the six-foot lead, after giving the "stay" command and/or signal.  When you are working at the end of the six-foot lead with four out of five successful repetitions, start working on your long line, and then to the end of that. 

STEP 2:  Work with distractions listed above (safely) at each distance level that you make.  (Remember, you may need to back down on the time again to work back up to it as this new item is added to training. You may also have to work without an additional distraction at first.). You will either want to time this or take note of the circles you are able to do while the dog is around distractions.  As the distractions increase, you may need to decrease either the distance away or the time (or circles), and then work back up to a time and distance. 

STEP 3A: If your dog releases themselves from the position, then the handler needs to use the verbal try again marker word “No” and perhaps a collar correction if the verbal correction did not have them sit back down and complete the time before moving to the next repetition. 

STEP 3C: If your dog moves, you need to move them back to where they were, and (if they don’t sit when you lead them back) give the verbal “that is not what I was looking for” marker word “No” and collar correction if necessary. Then you should restart the exercise to complete it 

 

STEP 3B: If your dog successfully performs per your new goal, you can give then the marker praise word “Good” boy or girl.  Never allow the praise to become the release word.  If your dog begins to break, but catches themselves (this is a process where learning is taking place), you can praise him later because he caught himself.  The handler should try to catch the dog before their bum comes up and they move.  If they successfully move themselves, then the handler needs to return them to their position and location (non-verbally), and complete the exercise. 

STEP 4: Only increase time, distance, and/or environment when the dog can perform (without correction or treat) four out of five times at the current goal.  If you are having trouble meeting this, then you need to back down the time or distance.  It is possible, that you also did not wait until the dog could complete at the lower levels before going on, and then it may make sense to complete those steps again. 

 © 2024 Robin Rubin DBA Mannerly Mutts   

 

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