Understanding the seemingly subtle yet profound differences between Stay and Wait is not only life enhancing, it can save your dog’s life! Let’s take a look at these two commands, the differences between them, and some real-life scenarios for their application.
Stay means “Stay like a statue” and is generally preceded by a position command such as Sit or Down. Stay controls both body position and geographic location. Essentially you are saying, “I need you to stay in this exact spot and hold this exact pose until I release you.”
Wait means “Don’t cross that line.” It is boundary training rather than formal obedience training. Wait is most commonly applied to thresholds such as doors and gates. It is more casual than Stay in the sense that the dog can do whatever he wants as long as he is behind the line.
Which one is more important? Stay and Wait are both super important! Particular situations will determine which one is best at any given time. Let’s look at a few examples.
Doors
Door dashing is a potentially life-threatening behavior because doors lead to streets. Doors also lead to cool stuff your dog really likes, making them valuable resources. Hence, control around doors is critical for safety as well as establishing leadership.
A Sit-Stay at the door is fine but most dogs will still bolt if not made to Sit first. Wait is much better because it establishes the threshold as a boundary. Running in circles, standing on his head – whatever his eager behavior, the dog learns not to go out the door without permission, no matter what!
Outdoor Café
You’re at the coffee shop with Rover and need a refill; should you use Wait or Stay? Wait is okay, if you have a dog that’s phenomenal when left at liberty in a crowd – but I should emphasize that 99.99% of dogs do not qualify.
I would recommend a Down-Stay, not only when getting a refill but for the entire visit. This will help Rover learn a sort of conditioned relaxation, or what I call The Art of Doing Nothing. Exception: You may want to let Rover get some affection from someone or meet another dog now and then, but he must be released to do so.
Off-Leash Adventures
In the scenario where you are having an off-leash hike and your dog is getting too far ahead, do you use Wait or Stay? Either could work but here’s my take on it: I might throw in a long distance Sit or Down just for practice, or I might call them back to me, but since I prefer to keep the micromanagement to a minimum and casually enjoy nature with my dogs I would most likely use a Wait command. This is essentially like throwing up an invisible boundary and saying, “Don’t go any farther.”
Conclusion
Ultimately it’s up to you to determine which situations lend themselves better to Stay or Wait. Now you have the knowledge that there is a clearly defined difference and can decide accordingly.
Chad Culp is a certified dog trainer, behavior consultant, and owner of Thriving Canine: Dog Training Services (thriving canine.com). He travels the Bay Area doing behavior consults and conducts obedience and non-competitive agility classes in Gilroy and Morgan Hill. To contact him, email chad@thrivingcanine.com.
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