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The keys to success in teaching
your dog tricks are patience, practice, praise, and persistence. When training
your dog, every step he takes in the right direction should be rewarded as
though he had just won the lottery. Tricks are fun – and learning how to
do them should be fun, too.
The objective when teaching your
dog to WAIT is to keep him from charging through gates and doorways, into
cars, or across roads before you are fully ready for him. The command
is similar to STAY, but is used in relation to doorways, other thresholds,
and crossings.
Teaching your dog to WAIT can be
challenging. Dogs are curious, animated, and easily distracted.
WAIT is a command that requires inaction, a circumstance your dog may have
trouble understanding. When we give them the command to WAIT, it doesn't
take long for dogs to become fidgety and bored. Work with your dog
on the leash first. It will give you better ability to control him
when he moves out of the WAIT position.
Begin by walking your dog to a
door. Give him the command to SIT. A dog will hold still in a sit position
a little longer than he would if he were standing. With your fingers pointing upwards,
show the dog the palm of your hand and give the command WAIT. Walk
towards the door and then reach for the doorknob. If your dog moves
forward, remove your hand from the doorknob and put your dog back in a sit,
and then try again. If your dog waits, praise and give treats.
When you can touch the knob without your dog pushing forward, try opening
the door a few inches. If your dog waits, praise and give treats. If
your dog moves forward, close the door gently and take him back to the original
spot and place him back in the "Sit" position. Firmly repeat the "Sit-Stay"
command, while using the "Stop" hand signal. Continue this opening
and closing of the door until your dog does not try to walk through the door
when you open it. The purpose of the repeated opening and closing is
to teach the dog that he cannot anticipate if the door will open completely
or not.
Eventually, you should be able
to open the door and your dog will remain seated. Make sure to reward
your dog every time he does not try to bolt through the door. Once the door
is open, give your dog a release command (e.g. Okay!) and allow him to cross
the threshold. Teach the dog it is not acceptable, or rewarding, to
try to run to the door. But remember: even if the dog gets the concept
after practicing, the excitement of seeing new people will tempt him to break
the stay command. Always watch your dogs.
Soon, you should be able to walk
through the door to the other side while your dog waits. Once your
dog has mastered WAIT from the SIT position, try it while he is standing.
It's tougher, because he will want to walk around or even go into a
SIT. Once he has learned to WAIT while sitting and standing, try the
commands off leash. Soon you will no longer have a dog that goes flying
out the door every time it is opened or gets under foot when you are entering
or leaving. You will have to repeat this process at every door before
your dog understands that the rule is not to go through any door to the outside
without permission. Do this step at every exit in your home and anywhere
else where your dog spends a significant amount of time off lead.
Continue to train this trick over
and over again. Always use a happy singsong voice when praising and lots
of positive reinforcement. Eventually, your dog will understand what you
want and will wait patiently at doorways or at the roadside until you give
him the release word.
