WOOF UNIVERSITY, LLC
Stay
Stay is the opposite of Come. Instead of Fido coming to you, you come to Fido. It means don't follow me, don't move away from me, stay in that one spot until I come and release you. We don't call our dog from a Stay because it's used when we need them to stay put until we get to them.
"Stay" for Safety
What do you do if your dog is loose and you need to get them back? One option is the "Come" cue. But, what if coming to you puts them in danger because they will need to cross a street? Or, what if they don't respond to the "Come" cue? This is where the "Stay" cue can help.
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Stay tells your dog to park right where they are while YOU move. You may be moving away from them ("don't follow me") or toward them ("stay put until I get there").
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1) Stop your dog from being hit by a car if they have gotten away from you and crossed a street. You don't want to tell them to "Come" because they will need to cross the street again and may not get lucky this time. If you say nothing, they will probably keep running away.
2) Keep your dog from bolting through an open door while you carry something in or out.
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3) Stop your dog from following you when you're going to walk away from them briefly (to go to the bathroom or get something to drink from the kitchen). This is especially useful for dogs with separation anxiety who are being trained not to need constant contact with you or for dogs who are injured or recently had surgery to not jump off furniture every time you get up.
Why return to your dog?
We strongly recommend returning to your dog to release them from the Stay and not calling them to you because it makes the exercise safer. If your dog gets into the habit of getting called off a Stay, they will start to anticipate the release and jump the gun. No big deal if they are safe inside your home, but it can be a huge deal if they are loose and you're trying to reach them to put a leash on. A well-known dog trainer witnessed a tragedy with a client's dog because of this. The dog ran across a street. Her owner successfully got her to Sit-Stay, but as he walked toward her, she ran to meet him and was killed by a car.
If the muscle memory is solid of Stay meaning don't move until you come to them, you're more likely to be able to retrieve your dog in an emergency situation.