How to teach a dog the “Wait” command?
Command “Wait!” is one of the most useful in the daily life of the owner and dog. Imagine, after a long day at work, you went out for a walk with your pet and remembered that you need to go, for example, for shopping. Walking a four-legged friend, taking him home, and then rushing to the store, hoping that he has not closed yet, is not a pleasant prospect. But the ability to leave the dog on a leash greatly facilitates the task. The main thing is to teach the pet the “Wait!” command, so that in your absence he does not get nervous, does not tear off the leash and does not announce the entire area with a plaintive bark.
It is recommended to train your dog to wait from 8 months. This is a sufficient age for the pet to learn this rather complicated command. Your first lessons should take place in a quiet place where nothing will distract your attention and disturb the dog. A garden plot or a sparsely populated yard, where you have already been with your pet, will be a great option.
Use a short leash and first tie your dog to a tree (fence, post, etc.). Say the command “Wait!” clearly and moderately loudly. and slowly back away a short distance. During the first lessons, do not go too far, stay in the field of view of the pet so that he does not get too excited. The vast majority of dogs, when they see the owner moving away, begin to tear off the leash, whine plaintively and show concern. In this case, the owner must repeat the command in a more strict tone, still remaining at a distance. When the dog stops worrying, go up to him and praise him, pet him and treat him with a treat.
For better assimilation, after the first practice of the command, take a short break, walk the dog for 5-7 minutes and repeat the lesson again, but no more than 3 times a day. In no case do not overwork the dog, otherwise it will lose all interest in training. Watch her reactions, set the degree of load in accordance with the characteristics of your pet.
After the “introduction” sessions, your task is to increase the time and distance of the distance from the dog. Gradually begin to disappear from the pet’s field of vision, going behind a tree (corner of the house, etc.). Do not forget that competent training of a dog by a team stretches for several days (and even weeks), do not strive to teach a pet a new skill in one day. Not only will you not achieve a quality result, but you will also make your pet nervous.
Each time in case of a successful, calm waiting, encourage the pet and praise him for his success. If the dog continues to worry when you move away from him and disappear from his field of vision, repeat the command again (without returning to the dog) and patiently continue training. Return to the pet should be only when he calms down. If, when you bark or whine, you immediately rush to him, the dog will regard this action as follows: “If I express concern, the owner will immediately come to me!».
When it seems to you that the dog has learned the skill, try leaving it on a leash at the store. It is desirable that your first shopping trips be short, gradually you can increase the waiting time. Don’t forget to give your dog a treat when you return.
