If you own a Chi, we're sure you've asked how to teach your Chihuahua to stay at least once in your life. Dog training is a challenging task, especially for a small breed like a Chihuahua. To teach your dog to stay, you must get them used to spending extended periods of time without moving. In order to make the training process easier for your Chihuahua, you need to break it down into three parts: duration, distance, and distractions.
Building Duration for Your Chi
Start by building up duration – how long your Chihuahua can sit in one position. Do this in small increments by asking your dog to sit, then count to one second and reward. Gradually increase the time to two seconds, three seconds, and so on until you can count to around 10-15 seconds. If your Chihuahua breaks the stay, gently put them back in a sit position, count a second or two depending on where you are in your training, and then reward.
Teaching the Command You Want Your Chihuahua to Follow
Once you have built up duration, work on distance by taking a few steps away from your Chihuahua and returning to reward them. Again, no cue for "stay" yet. Always remember to use your release cue every time you end the stay command.
Now it's time to add the cue. Say "stay" (or any other cue you prefer) while your Chihuahua is in the middle of an exercise, then return and reward. Don't forget to use your release cue every time you end the stay. This will teach your dog to stay for longer periods of time.
Adding distractions is the final step in teaching your Chihuahua to stay. Start with something your Chihuahua doesn't find too interesting, such as another family member walking by or the TV on. Gradually work your way up to more exciting distractions such as tossing a toy or treat, kids walking, laughing, and running, and other dogs or animals walking by. You should also continue the dog training by getting your pup to be alright with people greeting and walking by, and new places like pet stores and parks.
If your Chihuahua breaks the stay three times in a row when you add a new distraction, it means they are not ready for that one. Remove it and try something in-between their last successful distraction and the one they failed. The goal is to make your Chihuahua successful.
Perfecting the Lesson of Teaching Your Chihuahua the Stay Command
In the beginning, do short training sessions in a quiet room with little to no distractions. Once your Chihuahua has mastered the stay in a quiet environment, gradually increase the distractions. Remember to be patient and take it slow, especially if your Chihuahua is still young.
In summary, teaching your Chihuahua to stay can be a challenging task, but with patience, consistency, and the right approach, you can successfully train them. Break the training down into duration, distance, and distractions, add the cue when your Chihuahua is ready, and gradually increase the distractions. With these steps, you'll have a rock-solid stay in no time.
Hopefully, this will answer your question on how to teach your Chihuahua to stay.
