If your dog is out with you hiking, biking, or skiing, I HIGHLY suggest teaching a “Wait” cue.

What is a “Wait” cue? It is a cue that means “stop moving and wait for me to release you”.

Why do we want to teach this? A Wait command is extremely useful if you are outside with your dog a lot.

Maybe you see a bear, and the bear sees your dog. A recall will result in your dog running back to you, possibly enticing the bear to chase it. A wait command lets you stop your dog in their tracks so you can take a minute to either go collect and leash your dog, or decide if you want to call them back.

Maybe you are out hiking and you see a creek is flowing fast and violently. Rather than use a recall on your dog, you can ask them to wait. When you reach them you can decide if you want to leash them up for the crossing or not.

Maybe your dog is nervous and has a hard time turning their back to something they are concerned about, making recall hard. Instead, you can use a wait until they are able to handle that recall.

The wait can be used in so many ways. I use it way more often than I use my recall, for everything like crossing the road to wanting my dog to just wait for me on the trail.

Want to work on teaching your dog to “wait”? Well, you’re in luck! There are some fun games you can play with your dog to teach the Wait command. One of my favorite “wait” games is the following:

Hurry Up and Wait!

In a low distraction environment, get your dog excited and moving with you (the key here is having the dog focused on you and not the environment)
Stop moving suddenly, and say “dog name, WAIT”!
Your dog should stop moving and look at you
Mark Yes! Or click
Reward your dog with food (or some quick toy play)
Release them from the wait
Repeat!

Once your dog can do this in an easy, low distraction environment, while hanging out close to you, start adding new environments, distractions, and distance!

If you want to teach your dog “Wait”and need help, consider scheduling an appointment with Beth to get started! If you’re a current client, check back soon in our Client Support Facebook Group for the upcoming video demonstrations of “Wait” exercises.