Chapter 5
🐾 Now we fully connect execution and stay
In this step, we finally combine both parts of the exercise:
the execution of the Stand and the standing stay.
Start from the familiar backward walking setup with the dog following the open hand.
Then:
➡️ Say “S”
➡️ The dog makes the small hop
➡️ Say “T” and guide into the Stand
➡️ Close the hand
➡️ The dog remains standing in front of the closed fist
This is now exactly the same starting position you already know from the stay training.
✋ Add the stay
From there:
➡️ Move the hand away briefly
➡️ Bring it back to the dog
➡️ Wait for a moment
➡️ Reward
Once that works well, you can gradually build back up to the level you already reached in the stay exercise.
For example:
✅ shift your body weight back and forward
✅ take one step away
✅ later take two or three steps
🔄 Vary when you reward
Do not always reward at exactly the same point.
Sometimes reward immediately after a really good Stand.
Other times, let the dog complete the stay first and reward afterwards.
This keeps both parts of the exercise valuable.
🗣️ Use your marker words consciously
A marker such as “Great” can tell the dog:
“That was correct — your reward is coming to you.”
Then you can move the hand away and continue with the stay without the dog thinking the exercise is already finished.
🎯 Adapt the help to your dog
If your dog already has a very secure standing stay, you may not need to keep the hand so rigid anymore.
But if the stay is still weak, this is the point where you should strengthen it again.
Keep the fist closed, move the hand away and then move backwards yourself.
💡 The goal is that both parts gradually become one clear sequence:
S → hop → T → Stand → stay → reward.