Teaching Cooper to STAY!!!!!

[Lulabear]

hi Cooper is 14 months old now and wonderful but despite countless repitions we cannot seem to teach him to stay. Not outside of the kitchen when I'm cooking. Not in his bed at night. Any kind of stay.
We've tried treats. We've tried consistently taking him back etc. He just doesn't seem to get it!
Is this a cocker thing. Is it a lack of brain power. Or wilfulness...!?

Any advice appreciated
Thanks

[Londongirl]

How have you tried teaching it? I did it by rewarding the release, not the stay. I taught him a release cue where he runs to me when I say 'release' and gets a reward. I then paired that with the stay. He stays for one second, I say 'release', he runs to me for a treat. Build it up a few seconds longer each time (but only in short sessions). If he releases himself, he doesn't get a reward. If he waits for me to release him, he does. I tried lots of methods, and this is the one that finally worked for me.

[ips]

How have you tried teaching it? I did it by rewarding the release, not the stay. I taught him a release cue where he runs to me when I say 'release' and gets a reward. I then paired that with the stay. He stays for one second, I say 'release', he runs to me for a treat. Build it up a few seconds longer each time (but only in short sessions). If he releases himself, he doesn't get a reward. If he waits for me to release him, he does. I tried lots of methods, and this is the one that finally worked for me.

Sounds a really good method LG I might try it as our stay is pretty poor.

[Londongirl]

Like all cocker training it needs constant reinforcement in varying conditions. We play it as a game often out on walks, and I use it all the time at home - either sending him to his mat or just asking him to stay put while, for example, I get the laundry out of the machine or put the rubbish out, etc. He sees it as a fun game, because he knows the result is a reward. I vary the rewards too.

[lescef]

What position is he in when you ask him to stay? He needs to be comfortable, some  dogs like to sit, others prefer to be in a down position.
I've been trying to remember how we were taught at training! I'm sure it was a case of getting the dog comfortable then literally walking one step away but still facing them, staying 'stay', then walking back, rewarding then releasing them. Repeat twice more. Next time move on to two steps etc. It is a very slow process, after all cockers like to be with you!
As they get to stay longer, walk back and stroke them, praise them, say stay, but don't reward, walk away again. Eventually,  walk out of  sight for literally a nano second then go back and praise..... you'll get there!

[bizzylizzy]

I found that Humphrey seemed to understand a flat hand signal (like the old police hand signal to "stop") coupled with a "stay" verbal command almost instinctively. Practice getting him to stay, walk a few feet away then go back, praise, treat and release. Gradually build up the distance and the time but don't progress too far or be tempted to go out of sight (especially out of the house) too soon. You can also reward with a game etc. 

[Gazrob]

I use the flat hand signal only like bizzylizzy. I don't say stay at all because I want sit standing and lie down to be implied stays. What I did was ask him to sit and if he moved I put him back where he was and get him to sit. I then use the flat hand signal and move away from him.  after a few weeks he got the hang of it. Just keep doing it often everyday eventually he should get it.

[Finvarra]

We used a mat with Dylan and taught him to sit or down on that, with the use of treats, and hand signals. Then used the flat hand signal and command stay, one step at a time, building it up. He learned it really quickly with the help of the mat. He will sit, lie down or stay with hand signals alone, which is nice. Only wish his recall,had been as easy, and retrieve! 

Lesley and Dylan

[ips]

Never really trained a stay other than telling her to stay there if I am going out of the house without her. Never trained a sit stay as a sit is a sit. She sits or stops to flush or shot so I suppose that is a stay in effect but the flush or shot is the command. Spose it depends on what you do with the dog as too how or when you need a stay. !!