Inside versus outside training and how to "stay"

L

Laddie's Mom

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Lad is pretty good at "heeling" and sitting when we train in the big hall that is next to us, but, when we go out, man, he pulls and is a different dog, does being inside make them calmer? I tried some our training on him today on our walk that we had worked on inside the hall, well, he pulled like the dickens and acted like he had not had a day of training in his life, I was sort of disappointed.

Also, when I tell him to "stay" he just won't. I have to sort of laugh, I will have him "sit", which is a feat in itself, but then, if I move even an inch, he scoots on his rear and follows me. I tell him "stay" and try to back up, but he "scoots" towards me. He always has a guilty look when he does this and I try not to laugh because I am serious on wanting him to "stay" How can I get him to "stay" without "scooting" I have tried treats, but this has made matters worse, now, he won't stay because he wants those treats, YIKES, now what.:confused2:
 
Dogs behave differently in different environments that's why they need exposed to a bunch of things. My boy will stay in my house, but not when I practice agility on the grass... nut ball. But he comes so much better outside than in the house (unless cookies are involved and he knows if there isnt..)

To teach stay: Since Laddie is food motivated:

Have him sit, then give him 3 treats back to back telling him "good stay" (small treats or kibble for that matter)

tell him stay, take one step back.. literally move one foot. so the other is still in the original place.. give him three treats from that position and go back to him

tell him stay, this time move both feet one step back, three treats and ALWAYS tell him "good stay" and give him your stay command.

Keep doing this step by step. Eventually you'll have to walk back to him or call him to give him the treat. I recommend walking back to him for a while then call him (like in a month)

You have to really keep up with practicing this though for it to pay off. I would do it two-three times a day and no longer than 5-10 minutes a time.

Like I said I have stay issues in grass, so while I'm waiting my turn to run him in Agility I just make him stay and practice it. We also do this on the table so he learns he still needs to stay even if I'm not next to him.

Edited to add: Make sure you take tiny steps at first also.
 
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You need to train him outside like its a different trick even though it's the same command. Dogs do not generalize well and just because they 'get it' indoors or out in a back yard at home doesn't mean they'll understand you expect the same behavior everywhere.

If there's a command you need them to use everywhere (sit, stay, down, etc.) you need to make sure you train it in as many different places as possible. They do eventually understand that sit means sit anywhere you ask for it because you've done it so many different places.

Use the same methods outdoors you do indoors because consistency is the key. An area without a lot of distractions is good, also. Start small - get him to sit and reward him. After he's very good at sit, start to add the stay. When you add the stay try have to him hold it for 3 seconds before rewarding him. SLOWLY increase the length of the stay. Once he can hold it for a minute or more, start taking steps back away from him.
 
I'll just add to Melbell's explanation of teaching a stay. In addition to teaching by increasing the distance you also need to work on time.

Start with stays directly in front of you and build up the time he will stay for, you can work up to 30-60 secs from 3 secs. You want to teach first that a stay means staying in the same spot for an extended period of time, then when he understands this introduce more distance. When this is solid take a step back and start with 5 secs and build up the time to 60secs. Again when that is solid take another step back. As soon as he moves you should decrease the distance you are stepping back or the time he is in the stay as you've moved on too fast.

Make sure you do stays in a drop position as well as a sit. It is easiest to practice both from the start so he understands a stay means stay in whatever position I am in when the word is said, rather than thinking it means sitting. You may also want to introduce a hand signal - I put may palm in front of the dog's eyes (fingers closed as open fingers mean wait).

For homework I tell my class to practice stays when they are watching tv or doing quiet things at home. You can sit on the couch and just have the dog laying beside you in a stay, it's a kind of a cheat but it helps them broaden their understanding of staying in the one spot.

Btw - wait is something else you may want to practice, wait to go out the door or through a gate is a good one. Or go walking and ask the dog to wait, stand still for a while and then move on. Wait means you are going to ask them do something else after they stop still, stay means just stop still.
 
Thanks for all of your ideas, I will put them to use.

LOL, it will hard to make him stay in one spot, if I move even a half inch, he scoots towards me on his behind. I just can not get him to sit still. I am sure he will come around, but right now, he is a "scooter" hehe, I have to admit, that guilty look of his when he does it makes me laugh and then he knows he has me.
 
Laddie's Mom said:
Thanks for all of your ideas, I will put them to use.

LOL, it will hard to make him stay in one spot, if I move even a half inch, he scoots towards me on his behind. I just can not get him to sit still. I am sure he will come around, but right now, he is a "scooter" hehe, I have to admit, that guilty look of his when he does it makes me laugh and then he knows he has me.
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Actually I would think this is a very good behavior. I would encourage it but also teach him to stay when told.
 
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