Stay
Foundation — prerequisite skills
Psychiatric Service Dog
Mobility Assistance Dog
Guide Dog
Hearing Alert Dog
Medical Alert Dog
Autism Assistance Dog
Allergy Detection Dog
Multi-Task Service Dog
Service Dog In Training
About this task
The dog remains in a sit or down position until released, regardless of duration, distance, or distraction.
How it helps: Essential for all service dog work. Dog must stay while handler completes tasks.
Required foundation skills
Sit on cue. Down on cue.
Training steps
- Start with dog in a sit or down
- Wait one second, then reward before the dog moves
- Gradually increase duration by 1-2 seconds at a time
- Build to 30 seconds without adding distance
- Add distance: take one step back, return, reward
- Gradually increase distance and duration together
- Introduce a release cue ("okay", "free", "release")
- Never release the dog by letting them break the stay — always return to them first
Proofing criteria
Once your dog reliably performs this task at home, proof it in these environments and situations:
- Stay for 1 minute at handler's side
- Stay for 3 minutes at handler's side
- Stay with handler at 10 feet
- Stay with handler out of sight for 1 minute
- Stay with mild distractions
- Stay with moderate distractions (food on floor nearby)
- Stay while another dog walks by
- Stay in a public setting for 3 minutes
- Stay while handler is in a checkout line
- Stay reliably until released — never self-releases