Tricks For Treats: How To Teach Your Dog To “Wait!”

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Teaching your dog the importance of patience should never be overlooked. “Waiting” whether for food, to enter or exit an area, or stay anywhere else not only allows them to see you as their dog parent as dominant, but can keep them safe in the future. For example, you can even incorporate the “Wait or Stay” command when walking them without a leash and if you need them to stay when a car is crossing.

 

Step 1: Prepare the necessary tools for training

To properly train your dog the wait command with food consumption, and further “Wait Training” methods you will need the following tools:


Step 2: Training to Wait for Food In Bowl

Begin with a bowl of your dog’s favorite food. Lower the food bowl down toward your dogs nose. When your dog stays in position you may reward their positive behavior by giving them one piece of kibble.

You may then try lowering the dog bowl and reward with one piece of kibble for waiting for their food. If you dog then tries to go for the dog bowl refrain from allowing them, and move the dog bowl back upwards above the dogs head out of reach, and begin the process again.

You should repeat this consistently until you can allow the bowl to be on the floor, and your dog remains in the wait position for you to say release, boop their nose, or click and command.

Step 3: Wait Command: On a Leash

One method for teaching your dog wait is to use the command wait and move yourself in front of your dog for them to be right initially and for them to be unable to make a mistake. This will normalize the wait behavior.  You can then begin moving backwards and shake the leash after the wait to cause distractions and then reward after a successful wait period.

You will want to also release your dog whether that is by saying commands like “OK, or Release” as well as using your click remote.

Step 4: Marking Mistakes, and Rewarding Correct Movement

If your dog makes an incorrect movement when training this technique, instead of guiding them with kibble you will want to make clear the movement is incorrect. You can say no, and then bring them with your leas back to their initial position and show them how to be correct.

After they are back in their wait position for a long enough time, your may reward the stationary  “wait” behavior.

Step 5: Doorway Wait Training

Another excellent place to teach your dog the wait technique can be training for entering and waiting outside doors. Many dogs have a habit of rushing towards doors especially with new visitors or knocks. Teaching your dog wait can be very helpful for allowing visitors to have a chance to enter and then releasing your dog with a command after waiting, etc.

With this technique, you can start slowly by stating wait with your dog on your leash. You may then move into the door way with one foot, than come back and reward. You may repeat and exit with both feet on the other side of the door. Then you may reward for this behavior. Additionally, you may release your dog and let them enter the doorway and provide them a reward for this as well.

-Video Courtesy of McCann Dog Training–

BONUS LESSON: ADVANCED “STAY” TECHNIQUE

For advanced stay techniques many trainers struggle with their dogs remaining in the Sit and Stay position. That is because they need to additionally practice the sit, and wait techniques in outdoor locations as well as using additional release methods, like a boop on a nose, or a click remote.

In the below video, Dog Training Professional Robert Cabral explains the best way to train with distractions, and teach your dog to stay indefinitely no matter if you are hitting your legs, or waving your arms.

– Video Courtesy of Robert Cabral –

Here at Dog Parent Academy we are here to help you and your dog enjoy a stronger connection, and a lifelong connection. Our Dog Parent Academy Community is here for your questions, and is free to join. You can also find us on our Facebook Page and talk with other Dog Parents. Happy Training!

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