How to teach stay when your pit is like velcro

[Coltdrey]

I have had my pit for 1 year now, she was adopted at 2yrs old.I have worked out sit and have almost got lie down, now I need to get stay working. I have done the part where I slowly back away and reward with a treat when she stays and extending the time however if I turn my back or she can’t see me for more than 5 seconds she is right there wanting to know what is going on and to be part of it. I can’t work on come until I have sit mastered and I feel being able to work on recall is VERY important. Does anyone have any ideas?

[bullmaster74]

stubborn dogs,,,all of them…i have a 90 lb girl, a 7 yr old girl and now a 8 week old pit whose mom died at 2 days old… my adult also a rescue dog. the reason when u turn around she says we must be done, amazingly enough she is no longer hearing the command as much as the look in your eyes. shes smart,,,u dont have eyes in the back of your head,,,,
my general thinking has always been to make the dog believe there is an imaginary wall between you. meaning if she takes an inch forward, boom, back in place quick, like an emergency! as if she were in danger but without the yelling just a one word, deep, stay and my key is putting my hand up to her face 6 in away the first time,,walk back a few feet (still backward) if she moves forward the hand goes back up and u step forward as if u were pushing her back magically while keeping deep eye contact. that will all be a big help for her to think it is important and she suddenly has an on/off button,,which every pit NEEDS. after ur eye contact, seriousness about not even moving forward one step,,if she stays calmly,,get down low and be all praise and she will see ur eyes have switched to that normal, its all good look. thats on and off without words and a deeper level of communication with ur best friend who is an eye, hand and energy reader,,,more than a conversation keeper,,,cut and dry, dogs do best. too many words, less meaning. animals talk all day long and nothing get lost in translation…my pup is coming along quick and housebroken at 7 weeks,,the key after a bit more of the regular stay is to close ur eyes just enough left to see out of them so she thinks u are not looking and catch her until she believes u can see with ur eyes closed,,if that works use ur hand for stay on all corrections and initial stay. then walk back and turn and back and turn,,,use those tools and work the new eye contact thing and let me know when she stays her best and after that works for you,,,get back to me and she will be looking for ur evey command visually every time…like wow u know how to speak dog? better listen to u…lol
good luck and talk to u soon

[Coltdrey]

thanks, I haven’t heard of the eye thing before. I will definitely give it a try and get back to you!

[yummymommy27]

Believe me the eyes work I need to do it to my girl and that is also bullmaster74 dog and I’m teaching our puppy the same but that will take time..

Good luck

[angsaysrawr]

Thank you for the tips. I will definitely have to try this with my two dogs because I have the same issue. I did know about the eyes being a form of communication and that using a sound rather than a word works best, but I wasn’t sure how to communicate that they should not move unless beckoned when my back was turn. SO thank you for the info/tips. 🙂

[saranata]

one more thing if you have a problem with your dog coming to the door and barking when it ringswhat you do is tell the person whose coming whenever the dogs come to the door close it and you say stay and keep doing it until the dogs stay oh and you can watch animal planet for advice fromn victoria justice it’s on in the mornings and the eye also helps

[Ruby Roo]

This is excellent advice and I fully agree. Also, sometimes changing your terminology works. I find that my dog is more apt to “wait” while I hold one finger up. I’ll also say “stay”, but I alternate the words since it seems she understands “wait” better. I suppose because she knows with “wait”, she’ll be “recalled” and therefore is more likely to listen. After all, isn’t where you are where they love to be? : )

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