Wait & Reward Training
Lure-Reward training is definitely the quickest way to teach Sit and other body positions but if your dog is not focused on the lure, it isn’t an option. If your dog is overly-excited, distracted and inattentive, we recommend an alternative technique — one that's incredibly simple, yet extremely powerful.
All it takes is patience. We like to call it Wait & Reward training. The name says it all. You just wait for your dog to do what you want and then you reward. You don't lure the dog, or give any cues or commands, you just wait. It takes a lot of frustration and stress out of dog training. If you haven’t asked your dog to do anything, it can’t be wrong and there’s no need to get upset. Just wait and watch and you’ll be surprised how calm and attentive your dog becomes.
Of course, this technique only works for behaviors that your dog voluntarily expresses. But there’s loads of them. You can use Wait & Reward training to teach your dog to calm down, look at you, come, sit, lie down, stop pulling on leash, stop barking, or simply, look cute.
For example, to teach your dog to walk on a loose leash, stand still and wait for your dog to sit (or lie down). Don't move a muscle, don’t say anything. Once your dog realizes that you are not going anywhere, they will usually sit within a couple of minutes. Very rarely, some dogs might take longer than five minutes. But all dogs eventually sit.
When your dog sits, say, "Good dog", offer a food reward, take one huge step forwards (which will reactivate your dog) and then stand still and wait for your dog to sit. Repeat this over and over until your dog stands and walks when you move but sits the instant you stand still. You may have had to wait a long time for the first sit but you’ll find, your dog sits quicker and quicker with each repetition.
Immediately praise your dog each time they sit but now delay giving the food reward for two, three, or five seconds. When you do this, it teaches your dog to sit and stay each time they stop.
Next, take two steps before stopping. If your dog sits promptly, and stays successfully, five times in a row, then try three steps, then five, then eight and then 15 steps.
At this point, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on what you’ve done. You’ve taught your dog to heel and sit-stay on a loose leash and the only words you’ve said are “Good dog”.
Wait & Reward training is usually slow to start but after just half a dozen successful repetitions, you and your dog will make speedy progress. But the real beauty of this technique is that it works with over-the-top and out-of-control dogs and you can use it in any environment, including the most exciting and distracting of settings, just as long as you are willing to wait for those first few successful behaviors.
Once you've regained your dog's attention, go back to lure-reward training because when it works, it’s the quickest way to train.