Stay, Wait & Go to Bed/Place - Similarities & Differences

by Bailey Coldwell

Stay, wait, and the “go to bed/place” dog training cues are similar to one another, but do have some main differences. We trainers often receive requests to help handlers better understand these cues. Therefore, I figured I would go ahead and explain these cues in depth in a blog post. Keep in mind, handlers can have their own set of rules and expectations with cues, as long as there is consistency. 

First, I will chat about the cue, “stay”. When I am asking my dog to “stay”, I want them to remain in the exact position I put them in. So if I ask for a “sit... stay”, I don’t want them to slide into a down position. Because of this, I use “stay” for shorter-term moments. I know that personally, I prefer shifting around quite a bit if I am sitting versus having to be in one exact position for a long time. I have found that using the “stay” cue for shorter durations is easier for the dogs to be successful. I then use other cues for longer durations. 

Examples of when I  use a “stay” cue: 

• When I am in an active training session, I can be pretty focused on the puppy. 

• In a busy area, such as a store, I want my dog to remain exactly where I put them. 

• If I have a content and confident dog for body handling, I prefer them in one position while at the veterinarian’s office. The reason I want my dog to be comfortable with contact before utilizing this cue in these situations is that I don’t want my dog to feel forced to remain in a position they aren’t comfortable in. 

• Walking on the street, I want my dog to remain in a certain position while a distraction is nearby. Note that if a dog is reactive, having them sit and stare towards the trigger can increase reactivity, and oftentimes, adding in movement is best. 

Next, I will talk about “go to bed/place”. We leave it up to the handler which of these two phrases they prefer to say. Both phrases mean the same thing. As long as the handler is consistent, they can use whatever phrase is most fitting. 

“Go to bed/place” gives the dog a specific spot to remain on, but they are allowed to shift around. They can lie down, sit, roll around, stand, chew on a toy, etc. They just aren’t supposed to actually get off the spot that you assigned. The location and surface can change. The dog doesn't need to have only one designated spot. Some surface ideas for this cue are a dog bed, a yoga mat, a blanket, a towel, or a piece of furniture. 

Examples of when I use a “go to bed/place” cue: 

• While a guest is approaching my door, I want my dog to go to a specific spot (this needs to be taught ahead of time, building up to actually being able to have the dog remain on this spot while a guest shows up). 

• I am cooking, cleaning, or working out. 

• I am settling at the end of the day and want my dog to also settle on a comfy spot beside me. 

“Wait” is the final cue to discuss. The dog can be lying down, sitting, standing, playing, chewing on a toy, etc., as long as they do not pass the specific “line” the handler gives them. This cue is often used to help with impulse control when moving from one space to the next. It is used to give some freedom, but not in a specific area. When starting this cue, it is helpful to have a physical barrier such as a crate door or front door. This cue can be applied by “drawing” an imaginary line at the threshold that the handler doesn't want the dog to cross. The handler’s arm is straight down and waves to the left and right to create this line. Dogs love visual cues. Therefore, they respond quite well to watching handlers create this boundary line. 

Examples of when I use a “wait” cue: 

• Before coming out of the crate or the pen. 

• Before exiting the house. 

• While I am eating in one room and don’t want my dog in the same room as me. 

• Before allowing my dog to eat her food. 

An extra tip is that you can teach an “implied wait” in specific situations. I teach my dog an implied wait at doorways going in and out of my home, for example. When teaching a verbal “wait” to go outside, the dog is learning that they need to hear the handler give this cue in order to wait. I want the wait response to become automatic and for the dog to remain in a wait when the door opens, until they hear the release cue. I teach this in the case that a front door gets blown open by the wind (or the big bad wolf!) or if my child leaves the door open. This way, the dog doesn’t think it is fine to just run out because they didn’t hear me verbally say, “Wait”. They learn that they should remain there until they have heard me say, “Release”. 

I hope that this blog post has helped to give clarification on when to apply these cues. Check out “Stay”, “Go to bed/place”, and “Wait” on our website for videos and descriptions on teaching these cues.