Jack Russell

Training 101: Sit and Stay Commands

When bringing a new dog home it’s always best to start with the basics. Trainer Michele breaks it down into easy-to-follow steps and your best friend will have these commands down in no time.

The First step in training is to find something that your dog will love and want to work for. This can be food, a toy etc. Not needing it all the time is the end goal, but when first teaching a dog they want to get paid just as you and I do when we go to work.

Sit Command

1. Hold your reward in your hand.
2. Hold the reward slightly in front of the dog’s nose. Make sure not to raise it so high above the dog that they try and jump for it.
3. Slowly raise the reward up as your dog looks at the reward and he/she should naturally come to a sit.
4. As the dog’s bottom hits the ground, release the reward and say “good sit.”

Stay Command

Stay means your dog will remain in place until released. When first starting off, you will only be asking for a few seconds of “stay.” As you dog gets better, you can begin asking for longer sits and also increasing the distance between you and him/her.

1. Choose a release command first. This word can be “okay,” “free,” “done,” “release,” or any word you choose that will let your dog know he/she is allowed to move.
2. Start with the dog in a sit position.
3. Say “stay” as you give the hand signal (open faced palm).
4. Count 3-5 seconds and then give your dog the reward.
5. Say your release word so  your dog knows it can now move.

It’s important to make sure you give the reward while the dog is in the stay position. If your dog moves from where you put him/her, move the dog back to the original position.

For more tips from Michele or to set up your own training, call (989) 588-7047 or visit her on Facebook.

About Michele: She has over 12 Years Experience Working with all breeds big to small. She offers in-home dog training in Clare and Isabella counties  and surrounding areas of Michigan. She also offers Canine Good Citizen testing and Canine Freestyle Dog Dancing.

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