Wait command

[Jane S]

Do you train a separate "Wait" command (distinct from Stay) for your dog/s and if so, how do you train it? This is just for some research for my current writing job but would really appreciate any input, please (positive methods only of course )

Thanks in advance

[MegandMolly]

My mum's lab knew the difference 
'Wait' was used to cross the road, she would walk to heel on or off lead, and stop if you said wait (would remain standing). She knew 'all clear' to carry on walking over road at heel.  'Stay' meant sit and I'm walking away from you, she would stay sat until you called her .

We just said 'wait' everytime we came to a road and paused to check it was clear, Kim picked it up quickly and eventually would stop automatically, but it was useful if you were walking on the pavement and could see a car reversing off a drive or similar situation.

Hope that helps

[Nicola]

I do 'sit means stay' rather than a 'stay' command but mine also know 'wait', or at least Tilly and Rodaidh do, Caoimhe is getting to grips with it now. I use 'wait' for things like opening the front door so they don't stampede out and opening the car boot to stop them jumping in or out until I'm ready. I take it to mean 'you can stay standing but don't go any further forward until I tell you'.

It was something they picked up pretty quickly and naturally, in a similar way to that which MegandMolly describes, I would say 'wait' every time I opened a door or the car boot and if they went to barge through I'd close it again.

[Maria n Dennis]

My mums always doe obideience and how i understand it is ..... A wait command would be given if your going to follow with another doing command such as come on a recall and a Stay command would be used whe you want the dog to stay and when you will return to the dog to release it from that sit stay for example ?

[Karma]

For us the "wait" is generally a "pause what you are doing until we say otherwise" - it may be followed up with another command (recall, retrieve or similar) or a release (ok) to carry on with what she was about to do... While, as Mariaholgate says, the stay is stay in the position I have put you in while I go away and then I will come back and release you.

Honey has both (though the stay isn't on a command yet... it's a long work in progress!!!).

For wait we started with a treat on the floor, but us holding her lead to prevent her getting it.... we would then release with an "ok" and she could get the treat... we also practised this at mealtimes, making her sit and wait until we said ok.... I can now ask her to wait on a walk while I get bits of twigs out of her fur, wait at doors etc...

[Jane S]

Thanks I use "wait" in the way you all do but have never consciously taught it - they just catch on through me using the command before they get their food bowls put down or before crossing the road. Just wondered if there was some special technique I was missing

[6thSense]

My mums always doe obideience and how i understand it is ..... A wait command would be given if your going to follow with another doing command such as come on a recall and a Stay command would be used whe you want the dog to stay and when you will return to the dog to release it from that sit stay for example ?

Yep. This is exactly what I do.  ' Wait ' is used a lot in Agility as you are saying wait there until I give my release command, which in my case is ' go ' and ' Stay ' is when you are leaving your dog in a sit or down to walk a course and they are to stay put until you return.  Basically in the wait they should be waiting for the next command. 

[Sarah.H]

Yep, for Millie (when she listens  ) wait means 'wait until I ask you to do something else or release you', and stay means 'stay there until I come back to you.'

[supergirl]

If I say "wait" to mine they will lie down.  If I say "stay" or "sit" they remain sitting where they are.  I use the stay when we're at agility or flyball and I need them to sit rather than lie down before calling them over jumps etc.  No logic to it at all really.  

The "wait" came first and to train it I would ask them to "wait" and use a flat hand signal, take a few steps back from them, the walk back to them and give a treat.  Gradually increased the distance until I was out of sight, each time going back to the dog rather than calling the dog to you.  I think I used to get them to lie down as it would be less likely for them to break the wait.  Also, also always had to go back to the dog rather than call the dog to you, this way it stops them anticipating the recall and moving off before you want them to.

[emms]

Yep, for Millie (when she listens  ) wait means 'wait until I ask you to do something else or release you', and stay means 'stay there until I come back to you.'

Same for me too  

[Mudmagnets]

I use wait quite a lot mainly at feeding time, they have to sit while I put their bowels down, then wait till I give the OK for them to eat. I did it basically cos they would go lary and want to gollop their food in one hit

It does come in handy for other things - like when they both want to go thro the door at the same time, the result looking rather like a scene from a keystone cop movie 

[ladylola]

I use wait quite a lot mainly at feeding time, they have to sit while I put their bowels down, then wait till I give the OK for them to eat. I did it basically cos they would go lary and want to gollop their food in one hit

It does come in handy for other things - like when they both want to go thro the door at the same time, the result looking rather like a scene from a keystone cop movie 

   


I Hope you meant Bowls 

[Top Barks]

I try not to use, wait or stay as it just more words to confuse the dog. I prefer to use sit or down and it mean do that until I tell you to do something else.

[Penelope]

Our dog training club uses Stay to mean stay there until I tell you to come to me, and Wait to mean wait there until I tell you something different. 
I am currently struggling with Stop the dog on the good citizen gold award - test next week - as I stupidly used the wait command to stop Harriet and it is too late to change now....
Ah well, probably not going to pass it!!!

[Rhona W]

I use 'wait' for things like opening the front door so they don't stampede out and opening the car boot to stop them jumping in or out until I'm ready. I take it to mean 'you can stay standing but don't go any further forward until I tell you'.

It was something they picked up pretty quickly and naturally, in a similar way to that which MegandMolly describes, I would say 'wait' every time I opened a door or the car boot and if they went to barge through I'd close it again.

I use 'wait' in the same way as Nic does. Even down to closing the boot door on them if they try to get out before I tell them to.  I also use it on walks when I take their leads off. They have to 'wait' until I tell them they can run off.
They do have to wait to be told to take their food after I've put their bowls down, but they know to do that without being told.

'Stay' means stay there until I come back for/to you. But we don't practise that one very often so they're not very good at it.