Jumpy Dog Sit Stay
Basic Manners · 30 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to stay in a sit position until released, responding to a hand signal or the verbal cue 'Stay', with toy and social distractions. This helps teach Your Dog what to do instead of jumping when playing or greeting.
The verbal cue and hand signal 'Stay' are only needed at the start of a stay. Do not repeat them unless Your Dog breaks position.
**Management while you train:** Jumping is reinforced by attention, so prevent it from being rehearsed in the moments Your Dog usually jumps, like coming home, leaving the crate, before a walk, or when guests arrive. Keep Your Dog on-leash and far enough back that they cannot reach people, or use a barrier or crate until you are ready. Try to prompt a sit *before* Your Dog jumps, not after, so you do not accidentally build a jump-then-sit habit. If Your Dog does jump on you, turn your back and withhold all attention, since even pushing them off counts as attention.
For this plan you will also need:
**- A No Reward Marker:** such as "Oops," to mark the moment Your Dog breaks position and help them understand why they won't be getting a treat for that rep.
**- A Release Cue:** such as "Okay!" or "Break!" to let Your Dog know they are free to get out of position, especially at the end of a training session. If you always use a release cue, Your Dog will learn to stay until released!
Training steps
Wave a tug toy in the air for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Tempt Your Dog to break by waving a tug toy in the air in front of them for 1 second.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Wave a tug toy in the air for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Tempt Your Dog to break by waving a tug toy in the air in front of them for 3 seconds.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Wiggle a tug toy on the ground for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Wiggle a tug toy on the ground in front of Your Dog for 1 second.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Wiggle a tug toy on the ground for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Wiggle a tug toy on the ground in front of Your Dog for 3 seconds.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Place a ball on the floor for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Place a ball on the floor in front of Your Dog for 1 second.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bounce a ball beside you once
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Bounce a ball beside you once and try to catch it right after. If you can't catch it, try bouncing the ball lower to the ground to make it easier.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Roll a ball away from Your Dog
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Roll a ball on the floor away from Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Roll a ball past Your Dog
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Roll a ball on the floor past Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bounce a ball away from Your Dog
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Bounce a ball on the floor away from Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bounce a ball past Your Dog
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Bounce a ball on the floor past Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Muffle the squeaker
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Wrap the squeaky toy in a towel to make it quieter (do not throw it or drop it) and then squeak it.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Squeak a squeaky toy once
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Hold onto the squeaky toy. Do not throw it.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Squeak a toy and then place it on the floor
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Squeak a toy and then place it on the floor beside you for 1 second.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Squeak a toy and then throw it
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Squeak the toy before tossing it past Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Practice immediately after a play session with the toy distraction
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Take a break to play with a toy and after a few minutes, stop, get the toy back, cue Your Dog to sit and stay, then throw the toy you were just playing with past them.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Say 'Hi Puppy!' without bending over
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Speak with enthusiasm. Do not bend over or touch Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bend over without saying anything
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Bend over toward Your Dog. Do not say anything or touch Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Bend over while saying 'Hi Puppy!'
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Now it's time to switch from toy distractions to social distractions, which mimic greeting scenarios. Bend over toward Your Dog and speak with enthusiasm. Do not touch Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Slap your thighs once
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Do not say anything.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Slap your thighs 3 times
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Do not say anything.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Slap your thighs 3 times while saying "Hi Puppy!"
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Speak with enthusiasm while slapping your thighs 3 times. Do not touch Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Crouch down for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Do 1 quick squat in front of Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Crouch down for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Squat in front of Your Dog for 3 seconds. Do not say anything.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Crouch down and pet for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Do a squat in front of Your Dog and pet their head or chest for 1 second.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Crouch down and pet for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Squat in front of Your Dog and pet their head or chest for 3 seconds.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Jump up and down once
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Jump into the air once in front of Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Jump up and down 3 times
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Jump into the air 3 times in a row in front of Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Walk around in a circle
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Walk in a circle around Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Skip around in a circle
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Skip or jog in a circle around Your Dog.
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Skip around in a circle while singing
Setup: Your Dog is sitting.
Silly vocalizations make this step surprisingly challenging for some dogs. Have fun with it!
Success: Your Dog stays in the sit.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Nice work! Your Dog can now hold a sit stay through toy play, greetings, and all kinds of exciting distractions, which is the polite alternative to jumping.
To make it bombproof, recruit friends to play pretend guests, and keep proofing in new places: restart the plan on the proof steps, or play the goal games you just earned. Reward those calm greetings generously and Your Dog will choose sitting over jumping.