How to train your dog to stay

Training your dog to stay in a specific position or place until you return to them is a very useful skill. It can come in handy when you need your dog to stay in a certain place, for example, to keep them out of the way when you’re doing gardening or cooking.

'Stay' can be a challenging thing for dogs to learn because we’re asking them to remain at a distance from us for an extended period, regardless of whatever distractions might be happening.

That’s tricky to do, especially when we spend so much time with our dogs and teach them to come to us and pay us attention when we ask.

But every dog can learn to stay in one place, especially if training is always fun and rewarding, using positive reinforcement and progressing very gradually so our four-legged friends can be confident at every step. 

Remember, there is no need to rush! Building up the difficulty slowly and setting your dog up for success should mean your dog’s behaviour is more reliable.