Lucky Dog Lessons

by Brandon McMillan

  Our goal is to make steady progress, but it’s important not to get carried away on the first day. For the first session, I never recommend asking a dog to STAY for longer than six seconds at six feet. That’s more than enough for one lesson. If you’re able to get to that milestone, end the session in a successful STAY and call it a day.

  As you begin your second session, start with a quick refresher of what you’ve already covered. This will go more quickly than it did the first time, but you still ask for a longer STAY only if your dog is reliable every time to that six feet for six seconds mark. At that point, you can continue to train the command for more time and distance.

  Step 1. Clip the leash to your dog’s collar and stow the treats in your pocket or bait bag. Now place your dog in that ninety-degree angle in the SIT position with her butt backed into the corner. If necessary, scoot her back or physically place her so she’s right up against it. The situation you want to create is one where your dog has no options to run away. That’s the key to this entire process—starting your dog in a position where there’s little else to do except focus on you and do what you ask. You’ll start gradually giving her a little wiggle room as she learns the command.

  Let’s talk for just a minute about why we use a corner. Picture your dog standing in a wide-open space, at the hub of an octagon. From that position, your dog has eight different possible paths to use to get away. If you place your dog against a wall, you eliminate three of those paths and leave five of them open. If you use a corner, you block five and leave only three available. Once you stand in front of your dog, you’ve eliminated one of those last paths to freedom—and when you hold out your hands, you block the final two. Now your dog doesn’t have many choices except to stay.

  Step 2. Stand just a foot away from your dog and lift one hand, palm out like a traffic cop telling someone to halt. This is the STAY hand signal, and by the time we’re done training this command, your dog will likely respond as well to seeing it as she does to hearing the command. Display that hand signal to your dog and simultaneously say STAY. Remember that you are telling your dog to take this action, not asking. Use a firm, assertive, flat voice to show you mean this new word, saving your higher-pitched, more sing-song voice for playtime later. Once you give the STAY command, hold your dog in position for one second and one second only. If your dog can be still for that single second, quickly pet, praise, and reward her with a treat, telling her, “Good STAY.” If she budges before accomplishing the goal, correct her by taking your fingers and firmly tapping the middle of her chest. This generally gives a dog the idea to stop moving forward. Have her sit again, and repeat until she’s still for just one second. You’ll spend longer at this one-foot, one-second mark than at any other position because at this point your dog knows nothing about the command. Be patient and it will get easier as she figures out what you want.

  The cornered STAY with STAY hand signal

  A TIP FOR TOUGH CASES

  If your dog struggles to make the connection at this first phase between your command and staying in place, there’s an easy trick you can use to help her stay focused. All you need to introduce an extra measure of control is a chair. Place it in your training corner, and put your dog on it in a SIT. Obviously, if you’ve got a Great Dane or a rottweiler, this tip is not for you, but for most small, medium, and moderately large dogs, it works well. Adding a little height to her position encourages a dog to stop and think before making a move, and that will give you the extra edge you need to teach her the meaning of STAY. If necessary, the chair can move with your dog throughout the training of this command, right up until Step 6. At the end of the process, you may need to provide your dog with a quick review at ground level to ensure she doesn’t make a distinction between a STAY up high and one on the floor.

  Step 3. Next, you’re going to back away another foot, making your distance from your dog two feet. This time you’re going to tell her to STAY and wait for two seconds—so you’re doubling both your distance from your dog and the amount of time you expect her to obey. I know it doesn’t sound like much—being still for two whole seconds—but this gradual adjustment to the command is key. When your dog obeys, pet, praise, and reward her again. If she tries to move or take off, use your hands again to stop her. Typically a light tap to the chest stops a dog in her tracks. Start back at SIT, and repeat the process till you get that two seconds.

  Step 4. Now it’s time to try three feet for three seconds. As you get in position for this, you’re going to be opening up gaps on either side of you that are just big enough for your dog to slip through, so we’re going to make a slight change as we repeat Step 2. Hold both of your hands a little lower, so you’re ready to stop your dog if she decides to bolt. The way you stop a runaway is important. I want you to keep your hand held out for a STAY, but if your dog takes off, use it to block her, pushing forward so she bumps right into your “stop sign” while you repeat the STAY command in a firm voice. Stiffen your fingers as you do this so your dog realizes she has hit a physical block. That will refocus her attention to you. This move serves the same kind of function as a gate lowering at the entrance of a parking lot. You may know you can drive through it, but you don’t. You stop because there’s something in the road ahead. Your dog will do the same thing when you block her path.

  When your dog stays for three seconds, pet, praise, and reward her. If she budges, quickly use your hand to block the gap again while speaking a firm STAY. This is the point at which your dog will likely start figuring out what you’re talking about. Once she masters this step, move on to four feet for four seconds, rewarding when your dog doesn’t move and correcting when she does. Make sure to use your hands like a goalie to block your dog if needed, and move on only when she’s mastered a distance with the corresponding time.

  Step 5. When your dog can consistently and easily STAY on command in the corner for ten seconds at ten feet away, it’s time to move on to the next big test. It may take a few days to reach this milestone, and that’s okay. This is not the easiest command to learn, and it’s much more important to focus on getting it right than on getting it quickly. When your dog is ready to move on, you’re going to take her out of the corner and position her with a wall at her back. Choose a spot where there’s plenty of wall space on each side of your dog—at least a few feet—and put her in a SIT. Your dog has a lot more paths of escape in this arrangement, so only open those up to her if she’s proved she can be trusted to STAY in the corner.

  From here, pick up where you left off, ensuring your dog is sitting with her butt against the wall, signaling and speaking a STAY command, and starting at the shortest distance and shortest time: one foot away for one second. Remember to use your hands like a goalie as you do this, prepared to stop a runaway with your hand in the STAY position. Most dogs who’ve already mastered this command in the corner won’t challenge those hands. For those who do challenge, you’ll once again stop them in place with your fingers.

  Repeat the same pattern you followed in the corner STAY: two feet for two seconds, three feet for three seconds, and so on. After four feet, you’re going to rely heavily on your voice to stop your dog because your hands will no longer be able to reach to do the job. Just in case you need something extra to keep your dog’s focus, a good hard stomp of your foot is a great way to bring her to a halt. It will startle her for just a split second—long enough to remind her of what she’s supposed to be doing.

  Once your dog has mastered the cornered STAY, place her against a wall and put her in a SIT. Then begin the steps again, slowly increasing the distance and the time.

  Be prepared to use your fingers to block your dog if she tries to take off. A light tap to the chest is all that’s needed.

  Step 6. Once your dog has mastered the STAY against the wall, it’s time for the final step. Bring her out into the middle of an open area. Away from all barriers, her options for getting away will be unlimited. And this is where you’re going to find out
if she truly understands and accepts the command. Repeat Steps 2 and 3, moving on as your dog successfully obeys at one foot, two feet, and so on. Use that foot stomp if necessary to refocus her attention. At this point, all the conditioning you’ve already done should pay off, and your dog should STAY each time she’s asked. If she doesn’t, that doesn’t mean she can’t learn this command; it just means you moved too soon. Go back to the corner and review until your dog has got it.

  The final step: training the STAY in an open area.

  Every minute you put into training this command is worth it because it’s a critical tool to use to keep your dog safe.

  Training Tips to Remember

  As always, training is in the details, and there’s a lot to point out with this method.

  Start with a Tired and Hungry Pupil. If your dog is hyper with a ton of energy when you start teaching this command, she’s going to be running around like a maniac, you’re going to be frustrated—and the whole process will be hard on both of you. Instead, it’s always a good idea to teach the STAY command when your dog is tired. That way she’ll be less likely to run and she’ll condition much faster. After a walk or at night is an ideal time to start working on this command. Also remember that training a hungry dog is always easier than training one who is full. You want your dog’s attention to be focused on you and the great treats you’ll be willing to share if she follows the command when you give it.

  Keep Calm. Just like when you’re teaching the DOWN command, you want to stay very steady and calm while you teach the STAY. If your body language and voice are animated or excited, your dog will pick up on that and get animated and excited, too—a bad recipe for teaching her to be still. When you praise and reward her, do so with a soft, positive voice and use slow, smooth strokes when you pet your dog. Remember, the face you show your dog is the face that’s shown back to you, so if you have a lot of energy and anxiety while training, your dog might, too.

  Block Carefully. The hand halt needs to be done correctly. I don’t want you to slam your fingers into your dog’s chest—and I know you don’t want to do that, either. I want your dog to run into your fingers. There’s big difference. Your hand should be like a fence standing in your dog’s way—not something that’s charging at her. Once your dog bumps into your hand, she’s not likely to do it again. Think of it this way: no creature wants to keep running into the same obstacle over and over again, but there are many—including most dogs—who love a good chase. Be an obstacle, not a pursuer. For larger dogs it might be better to simply block their path by stepping into it. In that case, your whole body is a better block than just your hands. The only drawback with this is that it takes a little bit longer to move your whole body than to raise your hand, and you must get in position in time. Focus on being speedy and your dog will quickly figure out what you’re up to.

  About That Stomp. A foot stomp is a great way to stop your dog if she decides to move when you’re a significant distance away. This gets her attention just for a split second so you can get her mind back on you. I strongly advise you to use this tool—it’s one of my favorite ways to stop a dog in motion.

  Take It Slow. I know you hear me say this a lot, but I only repeat it because it’s important: do not move on to a next step in this process until your dog is ready! Moving too quickly is the main reason people get frustrated and eventually fail at teaching this vital command. You may see really quick progress in the first few minutes and figure you can skip a few feet or seconds and go for the gold. Please don’t. It takes a few days to train this technique correctly, and very few dogs ever get to the final step on day one. Take it slow and your dog will learn to STAY like a pro.

  Variation for Tough Cases. Instead of using a corner, place your dog on a SIT in the doorway of a dark room (so the lights are out behind her). Naturally, your dog will want to leave, but you will be blocking the doorway and giving the STAY command. Using the same process as above, back up by one foot and add one second at intervals until you’re at ten feet for ten seconds. Do a few fifteen-minute sessions each day of this and you’ll see results. The pros of this method are that it’s fast and simple and works with all dog sizes. The cons are that any technique that’s as fast as this cuts corners and can result in a sloppy STAY. This method teaches the absolute basics, but you’ll still need to bring your dog out in the open eventually to help her become more advanced and reliable.

  Variation for Slow Starters. Place your dog on a couch. Have her SIT, and then follow the steps above, backing up and adding a second for every foot. This one is a home run because most dogs prefer to be on a comfy couch rather than on a hard floor. Pros: It’s fast and simple, and the couch gives you a lot of control. Cons: This teaches a kindergarten version of STAY. It works to convey the absolute basics, but I highly recommend moving on to the cornering technique once your dog has mastered this.

  Teacher’s Pet

  For Darby, learning the STAY involved mastering all the steps of the cornered STAY and then some. Before I could allow her to take her certified therapy dog test, she had to prove she could obey the STAY command under any circumstance: in different places, for long periods of time, and without becoming unsettled by any distraction. Darby showed me she could do it all. When I finally took her to her new owner’s school to make the adoption official, they bonded immediately. Sarah crouched down in her classroom, and Darby scooted up close, stood on her haunches, and gently put one paw around each of her new owner’s shoulders, resting her head on Sarah’s shoulder. It was a classic boxer move—their own distinct and loving kind of hug—and at that moment everyone in the room understood that this sweet dog and this kind, generous teacher were going to be a perfect match.

  7

  NO

  If there’s one word you’ll be saying more than any other when you get a new dog, it’s NO. It’s only natural for any newcomer not to know your house rules. A rescue will come from an environment with a completely different set of rules or none at all. And a puppy—a puppy will come to you knowing absolutely nothing. Regardless of where your dog comes from, though, teaching him the NO command is a vital tool in stopping unwanted behavior like chewing, excessive barking, or any mischievous behavior a young (or old) dog might get into.

  Teaching the NO is also a matter of safety. One of the safeguards I rely on this command for is keeping dogs from scarfing up “treasures” they find during walks. Anything your dog is picking up from the sidewalk or bushes while you’re out is probably not loaded with vitamins and minerals—and many found items can be dangerous to his health. Plus, if you’ve ever had to pry a dead bird, toad, or squirrel from your dog’s jaws, you know it can feel like a pretty unhealthy situation for you as well.

  Another place where NO helps keep your dog safe is in the kitchen. Lots of foods that are safe for people are harmful—even potentially toxic—to dogs. Common foods like onions, chocolate, chicken bones, grapes, some kinds of nuts, and coffee are all bad news for dogs. Your best tool to keep your dog safe from toxins is the NO command. Any dog can learn this command, even one with no previous training and a ridiculously strong food drive. I know because I had to put in overtime to teach the NO to a dog I trained for a family member who means the world to me.

  Courtesy of Litton Syndications, Inc.

  Meet Poppi. Poppi was a special dog for me. I adopted him for my aunt, who was holding my own dog Lulu “hostage” until I found her a replacement. This three-year-old cocker spaniel seemed like an ideal candidate. He’d been overlooked at the shelter, probably because he was missing half of one of his ears—at some point in his life it had been badly injured or infected and he’d lost it. A lot of people see a dog like Poppi in a shelter and only see what’s wrong with him, overlooking more important qualities like personality and temperament. As soon as I met him, though, I could see that Poppi had these two most important assets in spades. He was a joyful dog with a tail nub that never stopped wagging. He had this great goofball expression—somehow
sweet and nerdy at the same time. And he had a big tuft of hair that stuck up on the back of his head, making him look like he just might be wearing a toupee. It added yet another facet to his sweet, comical character.

  Poppi started his training with no understanding of any of the 7 Common Commands, but because he was incredibly motivated by food and eager to please, he was a quick study. The only problem was that Poppi was so food motivated, he quickly showed me he could strike at any fallen food with the speed of a rattlesnake. He was always hungry, and always looking for any morsel he might be able to beg or steal. My aunt is a great cook who loves to prepare gourmet meals in the kitchen and on the grill. But a lot of the ingredients in her kitchen—and in most kitchens—could harm a dog. Before I could even think about handing Poppi over to my aunt, I had to teach him a 100 percent reliable NO command. Otherwise, I might never get Lulu back!

  Teaching the NO

  If trained effectively, a reliable NO can make life easier for you and your dog. Some people use the command LEAVE IT instead, which is fine, but personally I prefer NO. As always, there are many ways to train a command, but this is the one that works best for most dogs. The only tool you need to teach this technique is treats. Have handy several different kinds that your dog loves, and be sure he’s hungry.

  Step 1. Hold one of those favorite treats flat out in your hand at eye level and about six inches from your dog’s mouth, and say the word NO right away. Unless the dog cares nothing about the treat, he’ll naturally try to take it. When this happens, simply say the word NO, then quickly close your hand into a fist with the treat still inside. Be sure you deliver your NO command with a little conviction. You don’t want to yell, but you want to make the point with your tone that this is not a game or a negotiation. A lot of dogs will keep trying to mouth the treat in your closed hand. Most will stop after a few seconds. If your dog does not stop, simply pull your hand away and give him a few seconds to reset and calm down.