Teaching Your Dog WAIT

This is Vino waiting for his food. Can you believe the attitude?

WAIT is one of the most useful commands I've taught my dogs. It means, "Stop what you are doing immediately and look at me." I use it before going out doors, so they don't rush ahead of me; before meals, so they sit patiently for their food; at the top of the stairs, so they don't tackle me and make me fall on my rear down the stairs.

You can teach wait in two different ways. If your dog is very food motivated and goes crazy when you're getting his dinner ready, make him sit and wait while you put his food down. Put him into a sit position and say WAIT. Do not start to lower the food bowl until he is still. As you lower the bowl, he'll probably jump up. If he does, raise the bowl up again and use an "interrupter tone" such as "achh" in a low pitched tone (don't screech).

Start moving the bowl toward the floor again. Repeat raising the bowl as you bend down until he's still for just a moment. The moment he is still, tell him FREE and lower the bowl and praise him.  Keep doing this every meal until you can walk across the room while his bowl is in front of him as he's sitting patiently. If he is really resistant, turn around and put the food bowl on the counter and wait 5 minutes before starting again.

I can feed all three of my dogs by making them wait in front of their bowls scattered throughout the room until I release them at once. It makes for a calm mealtime!
The second method is to teach him to wait in front of a door while you open it and go out the door. Start with your dog in a sit in front of a door. Tell him WAIT. As you slowly start to open the door, he'll probably start to get up. If he does, close the door quickly (don't catch his nose.) When he looks at you, tell him "Good boy" or click and treat him. For more on clicker training, see Karen Pryor's website.  Once he stays for a moment, give him a reward by opening the door, and letting him out the door. Make sure he is on leash, or in a confined area. Keep doing this over several days. As he catches on, keep raising the bar until he will stay while you go out the door and come back in.

Don't confuse this command with STAY. STAY means stay in one place until I release you. WAIT means stop in your tracks for a small moment in time.