WOOF UNIVERSITY, LLC
Wait
Wait tells your dog to pause for a bit, take a breath, pump the brakes, before the next action. Wait until... It is excellent for safety and impulse control.
"Wait" for Safety
Teaching your dog to Wait at doorways can prevent a tragedy.
Use Wait before letting your dog out of the car to give you time to get a good grip on their leash.
Use Wait before letting them outside so they don't take your knees out bursting out the door.
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Have them Wait before going out the door for a walk to make sure they are connected with you and not hyperaroused.
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Teaching your dog to Wait slows and calms them down so they don't knock down vulnerable people with overly excited frenetic behavior.
Sit and Wait while you clip on their leash so you aren't struggling with a jumping and twirling dog.
Wait while you put their food down and move out of the way so you don't get popped in the chin by an excited jumping dog.
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Wait and calm down before they say hi to someone so they don't scratch them jumping all over them.
Wait is an exercise for us, too!
Dogs learn faster and cooperate more with a patient owner.
There is a saying that dog training teaches you patience. It requires patience on our part to teach a dog to do what you want them to do and behave the way you want them to behave.
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When we are impatient because it's not happening fast enough, throw up our hands and give up, they learn it's ok to ignore you. They get what they want anyway.
It takes patience to stand in your driveway for 45 minutes waiting for your dog to stop trying to push their way out of the car! Waiting for your dog to sit still before you clip their leash on takes patience. Waiting for them to follow the Down or Sit cue when they don't get it right away takes patience. The good news is that it only takes a couple of times of waiting them out for your dog to get the picture, and they will start to do what you ask right away.
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It's the Grandma Rule - you can have dessert only if you eat your vegetables first.
The other good news is that aversive punishment is not necessary to have a cooperative dog. Aversives (jerking the leash, delivering a shock, smacking their nose, etc.) have a high risk of fallout and break your dog's trust in you. Instead, we withhold the thing they want (leash attached, door opened, getting out of the car, etc.) until they do what we asked.