Out of sight Sit Stay
- Thread starter Elsie
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Back up, and start over at a point where she is successful EVERY time. The duration of the stay is probably the problem, so only be out of sight for 30 seconds (or whatever length of time she can handle successfully every time), then come back and reward/release.
Either that, or she's figured out that going down gets you to come back, lol. Either way, try shortening the duration and gradually increasing the time as she succeeds at the exercise.
Either that, or she's figured out that going down gets you to come back, lol. Either way, try shortening the duration and gradually increasing the time as she succeeds at the exercise.
T
I would try two things.
First, what lastkid advised.
Second, can you get a person(other than yourself) to help correct this problem? Your dog may have very well learned that going down gets you to come back. Well, get a different person to catch her in the act! When she starts going down, that other person can catch her immediately, and put her back into a sit.
First, what lastkid advised.
Second, can you get a person(other than yourself) to help correct this problem? Your dog may have very well learned that going down gets you to come back. Well, get a different person to catch her in the act! When she starts going down, that other person can catch her immediately, and put her back into a sit.
Farley initially had a great out of sight sit/stay but then he started getting lazy and laying down. 
I had someone else he wasn't familiar with stay in the area, not noticeably keeping an eye on him. As soon as he went down the other person immediately went over to him, said NO and put him back into a sit/stay. That has seemed to have resolved the issue. Now he thinks if he goes down anyone is able to come over, that it doesn't have to be me.
Another trainer gave me another thing to try if it restarts. She said to go back to the beginning but to place each of his 2 front feet on something such as a plastic cereal dish as targets. If he moves his paw off, no correction, just replace his foot. She said he would eventually connect the sit/stay with his front paws not being able to move. She said to eventually move to out of sight and after he was successful a few times to stop using the targets. It sounds logical but so far I haven't needed to try this method.
I had someone else he wasn't familiar with stay in the area, not noticeably keeping an eye on him. As soon as he went down the other person immediately went over to him, said NO and put him back into a sit/stay. That has seemed to have resolved the issue. Now he thinks if he goes down anyone is able to come over, that it doesn't have to be me. Another trainer gave me another thing to try if it restarts. She said to go back to the beginning but to place each of his 2 front feet on something such as a plastic cereal dish as targets. If he moves his paw off, no correction, just replace his foot. She said he would eventually connect the sit/stay with his front paws not being able to move. She said to eventually move to out of sight and after he was successful a few times to stop using the targets. It sounds logical but so far I haven't needed to try this method.
R
ONe thing that helped my dog on stays immensely was intense distraction by another person with me standing close.
For the sit, I would have the person come up and forcefully command DOWN, using body language, pointing, etc., with repeat commands if necessary.
I would then prevent the dog from downing, (using a buckle collar and leash) and each time the dog almost made a mistake, once they were sitting again, food reward and praise. After a couple of mistakes, I would have the distractor back off slightly so the dog could be completely successful.
This single exercise probably made my dog more solid on stays than any other. We also proofed with many other commands, including assuming heel position by another person, asking for the dog to heel off with them, etc.
The only rules were no touching, no release word commands, and no using the dog's name.
The dog gained an incredible amount of confidence on her stays using these methods.
She held a sitstay in the open ring while a male dachshund rushed up between her front legs to sniff her vulva, and then ran around her and put is paws on her back before the steward got to him.
I saw him run up between her front legs before we went behind the barrier.
The ring stewards were astounded that she didn't break.
For the sit, I would have the person come up and forcefully command DOWN, using body language, pointing, etc., with repeat commands if necessary.
I would then prevent the dog from downing, (using a buckle collar and leash) and each time the dog almost made a mistake, once they were sitting again, food reward and praise. After a couple of mistakes, I would have the distractor back off slightly so the dog could be completely successful.
This single exercise probably made my dog more solid on stays than any other. We also proofed with many other commands, including assuming heel position by another person, asking for the dog to heel off with them, etc.
The only rules were no touching, no release word commands, and no using the dog's name.
The dog gained an incredible amount of confidence on her stays using these methods.
She held a sitstay in the open ring while a male dachshund rushed up between her front legs to sniff her vulva, and then ran around her and put is paws on her back before the steward got to him.
I saw him run up between her front legs before we went behind the barrier.
The ring stewards were astounded that she didn't break.
One of the trainers in my club did this one that she had read somewhere. Her BC was doing the same - not moving, just going down on the Open long sit. She put a snall square of chicken wire under the dog (from behind front feet to close to where the knee sticks out when she was sitting). If the dog would go to lay down, she would feel the wire and get back up. I can't say if this is a recommended method, as I've only seen it once, but it worked for her dog and it didn't seem to bother her at all. Almost self correcting. I would assume it would only work with one of those that will STAY no matter what, just eases down.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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My BC had the same problem. Great out of sight sit/stays and then suddenly getting lazy and lieing down at random. What I did was to vary the time of the stay, but to also keep going back every ten seconds or so and reward the dog with a treat then walk away again.
So he was getting random rewards through out the stay, not just at the release. This way he connected the treat to the behavior I wanted.
I did this untill he was successfull 100% of the time over a period of a week or so (practicing every day) before gradually cutting back on the treats.
If he started to lie down I'd come into view and give him a verbal correction and repeat the sit command. Work well for him.
So he was getting random rewards through out the stay, not just at the release. This way he connected the treat to the behavior I wanted.
I did this untill he was successfull 100% of the time over a period of a week or so (practicing every day) before gradually cutting back on the treats.
If he started to lie down I'd come into view and give him a verbal correction and repeat the sit command. Work well for him.
Yeah...just return more frequently, give a treat and don't release....ask for the stay some more. You have to reward before the dog lies down. Even if she might think by lying down gets you to return, it doesn't get her a treat. Use a high value treat.
Then for the out of sight, I just hid behind a tree, (or a building, whatever) very close to the dog and I'd pop out very, very soon, just a couple of seconds later and give a treat and remind, "stay." Then go behind the tree again, a couple of seconds longer and pop out again, give a treat etc. After a while with this, I'd pop my head out so he could see me and I'd just verbally praise and remind again, "stay." "gooooooood." "stay." Continue gradually lengthening the time he had to stay, treating frequently and those few times that I didn't treat, still let him know he's on the right track. It's gradual. You don't want him to break the stay by asking for too much too soon. He must have success (reinforcement) for baby steps.
Now I can hide behind a tree for a long time.
Then for the out of sight, I just hid behind a tree, (or a building, whatever) very close to the dog and I'd pop out very, very soon, just a couple of seconds later and give a treat and remind, "stay." Then go behind the tree again, a couple of seconds longer and pop out again, give a treat etc. After a while with this, I'd pop my head out so he could see me and I'd just verbally praise and remind again, "stay." "gooooooood." "stay." Continue gradually lengthening the time he had to stay, treating frequently and those few times that I didn't treat, still let him know he's on the right track. It's gradual. You don't want him to break the stay by asking for too much too soon. He must have success (reinforcement) for baby steps.
Now I can hide behind a tree for a long time.