Learning to stay

[bmthmark]

Over the past 3 months I have been training my puppy and so far he has done really well, he is only 6 months old so is still very new to everything.

I have been taking Jett to gundog training and on a whole he is doing really well.

One of the task we are given is to sit your dog and make him stay for 2 minutes whilst the owner walks away.
I have been practicing this at home with him and generally he makes it to 1 minute then gets bored and decides to wander. I know by his body movement when he is just about to move so I normally go back to him and praise him before this happens. For his age I think 1 minute is great.

The problem I am having is at gundog training he lasts for literally 4 seconds then wanders back to me 
I don't know if its all the distractions (e.g. other dogs, other owners saying 'stay'), I just don't know what I am doing wrong.
He sits fine, then he looks up and down the line at the other dogs then slowly wanders to me, he does it in a slow motion way as I think he reckons I can't see him.

I'm hoping he will just suddenly get it, we do practice at home in the garden. I try and setup distractions etc and at home he is pretty good.
Does anyone have any advice on this?

Cheers

[bizzylizzy]

That sounds quite natural and is most certainly due to all the distractions - Humphrey was exactly the same and still doesn't perform aswell in a training group as when we're on our own in a familiar environment,  but if you just keep on practising, he'll get more and more used to it. Just a few paces away and for a short time and then build it up.  Do you give him a hand signal to stay? Do you walk backwards away from him or turn your back?
I started by just walking backwards and holding my hand up, palm facing him.
Lots of praise and I've found doing the exercise little and often is better than spending 20 minutes repeating it continuously as they get easily bored. You can do it a couple of times on walks aswell, making a game of it will motivate him to cooperate but he is still very young and fidgety .

[AlanT]

We could last a minute quite early on.

But it took till 3-years old to get longer stays.  Especially when I go out of sight to hide the scent target.

It's just practice and maturity.  Helps if they know why they are staying I think. We're scent working and blind-retrieving so the stay is part of the whole game.

[LisaL]

can you get some friends or family to pop round and create some distractions?

Also perhaps (although you maybe already do this) mix up the length of time you are away. Say start with 10 secs then go to 30 then back to 5 etc so each time isn't necessarily getting longer. Maybe he's thinking "oh o, shes leaving me longer this time" and getting a bit worried

[bmthmark]

That sounds quite natural and is most certainly due to all the distractions - Humphrey was exactly the same and still doesn't perform aswell in a training group as when we're on our own in a familiar environment,  but if you just keep on practising, he'll get more and more used to it. Just a few paces away and for a short time and then build it up.  Do you give him a hand signal to stay? Do you walk backwards away from him or turn your back?
I started by just walking backwards and holding my hand up, palm facing him.
Lots of praise and I've found doing the exercise little and often is better than spending 20 minutes repeating it continuously as they get easily bored. You can do it a couple of times on walks aswell, making a game of it will motivate him to cooperate but he is still very young and fidgety .

As usual great advice - thank you

Yes I put my hand up and say 'Stay' and then I walk about 5 paces away and I turn my back, I will try walking backwards.
When he does stay I do give him lots of praise and treats.
I can totally understand that he gets bored as to be fair its not exactly exciting for him, compared to finding something or fetching. But I understand that its important for obedience training. Even I get bored doing it  - I tend to mix it in with the things he finds exciting e.g. anything to do with sniffing

I think part of the problem is that he is mixed with some older cocker spaniels and they sit there for the full time, i'm probably expecting too much of him straight away.
He is like the naughty one in the class  its quite funny watching him as he looks up and down the line at the others doing it, then he crawls back to me in slow motion  and just sits next to me watching the older dogs

[bmthmark]

We could last a minute quite early on.

But it took till 3-years old to get longer stays.  Especially when I go out of sight to hide the scent target.

It's just practice and maturity.  Helps if they know why they are staying I think. We're scent working and blind-retrieving so the stay is part of the whole game.

That's good to hear, hopefully as he gets older he will improve.
I know what you mean with regards to them knowing why they have to stay. If i'm in the house and he knows i'm hiding something, he will happily sit there, as he knows he will soon be told to go and find the treat.

[bmthmark]

can you get some friends or family to pop round and create some distractions?

Also perhaps (although you maybe already do this) mix up the length of time you are away. Say start with 10 secs then go to 30 then back to 5 etc so each time isn't necessarily getting longer. Maybe he's thinking "oh o, shes leaving me longer this time" and getting a bit worried

Thanks - I did get my daughter to start making distractions and walking around him. He seemed to cope well, but if there is another dog sat next to him, that's when he is distracted.
Perhaps he is being a bit nervous and thinks i'm leaving him, good idea regarding the changing of times. I will try that.

[ips]

I haven't bothered teaching stay, ever. The only version I have is "stay there" if I am going outside or leaving the lounge to answer the door, she complies with this no problem. There is no way she would sit stay for four minutes whilst I walk around her

[lescef]

It's one of those things that take ages to 'bed in'. You have to do a two minute stay out of sight for the Gold Good Citizen award. It was the last thing we had to crack before we passed. One minute for his age is very good.
He's very young so keep at it.
We were taught initially every so often walk back and either verbally praise them or drop a treat between their paws, then walk away again. Only try thirty seconds then build up the time you want them to stay.
We were also taught to walk all the way around them. Walk away then just veer away from them a little then return to their line of sight. They usually twist round to see what you're up too! Eventually you can walk all the way round. Practice lots out of doors where there's lots of distractions at a distance.

[bmthmark]

Just a quick update on this.

I have been working hard on this as we need to crack this to get the bronze award. I've been changing the times i.e sometimes I leave him for 10 seconds sometimes a minute (then lots of praise and treats). I've also taken him to busy area's and practiced there. My daughter has helped as well trying to distract him.

Yesterday we had another gundog training session and we were asked to leave our dog and make him stay for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing my little pup was staying for 2 minutes . The group was tested multiple times and he passed every time!! 
Another training task we had to do is find his dummy and bring it back to me (drop and my feet). He only went and did this multiple times as well!!

As you can see I was very proud of him yesterday as it is a tough task for a young pup (7 months old) with so many distractions around him.
I think the trainer was shocked at the difference in a month, he went from staying 4 seconds to 2 minutes.


Thanks for all the help with this as the help kept me going with this.

[ips]

Just a quick update on this.

I have been working hard on this as we need to crack this to get the bronze award. I've been changing the times i.e sometimes I leave him for 10 seconds sometimes a minute (then lots of praise and treats). I've also taken him to busy area's and practiced there. My daughter has helped as well trying to distract him.

Yesterday we had another gundog training session and we were asked to leave our dog and make him stay for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing my little pup was staying for 2 minutes . The group was tested multiple times and he passed every time!! 
Another training task we had to do is find his dummy and bring it back to me (drop and my feet). He only went and did this multiple times as well!!

As you can see I was very proud of him yesterday as it is a tough task for a young pup (7 months old) with so many distractions around him.
I think the trainer was shocked at the difference in a month, he went from staying 4 seconds to 2 minutes.


Thanks for all the help with this as the help kept me going with this.

Well done, my one wouldn't stay for two minutes 😁

Bit confused though, you say gundog trainer and yet he or she allows the dummy to be dropped at your feet. . 😞

[bmthmark]

Just a quick update on this.

I have been working hard on this as we need to crack this to get the bronze award. I've been changing the times i.e sometimes I leave him for 10 seconds sometimes a minute (then lots of praise and treats). I've also taken him to busy area's and practiced there. My daughter has helped as well trying to distract him.

Yesterday we had another gundog training session and we were asked to leave our dog and make him stay for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing my little pup was staying for 2 minutes . The group was tested multiple times and he passed every time!! 
Another training task we had to do is find his dummy and bring it back to me (drop and my feet). He only went and did this multiple times as well!!

As you can see I was very proud of him yesterday as it is a tough task for a young pup (7 months old) with so many distractions around him.
I think the trainer was shocked at the difference in a month, he went from staying 4 seconds to 2 minutes.


Thanks for all the help with this as the help kept me going with this.

Well done, my one wouldn't stay for two minutes 😁

Bit confused though, you say gundog trainer and yet he or she allows the dummy to be dropped at your feet. . 😞

Thanks ips

At the training they are being taught to find dummies then bring them back to the owner. We are not suppose to grab from the mouths so we have to encourage them to drop it. I can then pick it up.

[ips]

Just a quick update on this.

I have been working hard on this as we need to crack this to get the bronze award. I've been changing the times i.e sometimes I leave him for 10 seconds sometimes a minute (then lots of praise and treats). I've also taken him to busy area's and practiced there. My daughter has helped as well trying to distract him.

Yesterday we had another gundog training session and we were asked to leave our dog and make him stay for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing my little pup was staying for 2 minutes . The group was tested multiple times and he passed every time!! 
Another training task we had to do is find his dummy and bring it back to me (drop and my feet). He only went and did this multiple times as well!!

As you can see I was very proud of him yesterday as it is a tough task for a young pup (7 months old) with so many distractions around him.
I think the trainer was shocked at the difference in a month, he went from staying 4 seconds to 2 minutes.


Thanks for all the help with this as the help kept me going with this.

Well done, my one wouldn't stay for two minutes 😁

Bit confused though, you say gundog trainer and yet he or she allows the dummy to be dropped at your feet. . 😞

Thanks ips

At the training they are being taught to find dummies then bring them back to the owner. We are not suppose to grab from the mouths so we have to encourage them to drop it. I can then pick it up.

Um, don't suppose it matters if your not going to work him but that is a strange thing to "encourage" as dropping an "undead bird" (which is what a training dummie is replicating) is the very last thing you want to encourage. Not having a go at you but I cant understand a "gundog trainer" teaching that. You are effectively training a behaviour opposite to what you want.
As I say not having a go at you and it doesn't matter if your happy with it, you get what you train for.

[bmthmark]

Just a quick update on this.

I have been working hard on this as we need to crack this to get the bronze award. I've been changing the times i.e sometimes I leave him for 10 seconds sometimes a minute (then lots of praise and treats). I've also taken him to busy area's and practiced there. My daughter has helped as well trying to distract him.

Yesterday we had another gundog training session and we were asked to leave our dog and make him stay for 2 minutes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing my little pup was staying for 2 minutes . The group was tested multiple times and he passed every time!! 
Another training task we had to do is find his dummy and bring it back to me (drop and my feet). He only went and did this multiple times as well!!

As you can see I was very proud of him yesterday as it is a tough task for a young pup (7 months old) with so many distractions around him.
I think the trainer was shocked at the difference in a month, he went from staying 4 seconds to 2 minutes.


Thanks for all the help with this as the help kept me going with this.

Well done, my one wouldn't stay for two minutes 😁

Bit confused though, you say gundog trainer and yet he or she allows the dummy to be dropped at your feet. . 😞

Thanks ips

At the training they are being taught to find dummies then bring them back to the owner. We are not suppose to grab from the mouths so we have to encourage them to drop it. I can then pick it up.

Um, don't suppose it matters if your not going to work him but that is a strange thing to "encourage" as dropping an "undead bird" (which is what a training dummie is replicating) is the very last thing you want to encourage. Not having a go at you but I cant understand a "gundog trainer" teaching that. You are effectively training a behaviour opposite to what you want.
As I say not having a go at you and it doesn't matter if your happy with it, you get what you train for.

Not sure to be honest as I just turn up and do what the people running it tell us to do.
For me it's more about the obedience and socialisation aspect for my pup. Cheers anyway

[bizzylizzy]

Thanks for the lovely update! Well done , -there's  nothing like that feeling when they make you proud at a group training !! Humphrey's "stay" has always been his Piece de Resistance, although he's pretty hopeless at a lot of the other stuff, so if we're having a frustrating session, I usually end with it so we can finish on a positive note.
Best of luck with the bronze award, do let us know how you get on!!