It may seem strange to train your dog to stand on command, but it can come in handy. If you are going through a repertoire of tricks, having a command for “stand” is a great way to reset your pup to prepare them for the next one. If you are getting ready to leave a cafe or other crowded place but don’t want your dog getting over-excited and jumping, you can get them out of their relaxed stance with “stand”. Plus, it’s just a fun and uncommon trick to learn!
There are a few different ways for your dog to stand, but the simplest to teach is a pop up–their front paws come up first, then the back legs follow. With just a few steps, your pup can quickly get the hang of this new command.
Bring your dog into a room in your house with few distractions, so that they will be able to focus completely on this new task. Make sure to have plenty of treats as well as a toy to play with during these training sessions–they will likely be more willing to stand if they know there’s a reason you’re asking them to.
The first step to this trick is to create value for your hand, as you will use your hand placement as the cue for the “stand” command. Simply hold your hand out in front of you, and when your pup touches their nose to it, reward them with a treat. Incorporate some short play after each touch–this will keep your dog excited to continue the game. Continue encouraging the hand-touch while lifting your hand higher and higher until they are jumping slightly to reach it.
Next, put your pup into a “sit” then hover your hand above their head. This will (hopefully) cause them to stand up in order to touch their nose to your palm. Reward them with more treats, then be sure to give a release word to let them know they can relax! Again, play with your pup to keep them actively engaged.
Are you having trouble getting your dog to nose your hand? Spend extra time working on this, and take very small steps. Hold your hand as close to your dog’s nose as you need to for them to show interest or sniff it. Give them a treat as soon as they come close to your hand–whether they are sniffing, touching, or just staring at it. Any reward they can begin to associate with your hand will increase their success in learning the behavior. Once they are consistently interested in your hand, move to only rewarding them when they touch it.
After they are popping up reliably, incorporate the command “stand” into the routine. Give them a treat once they are standing, but make sure they stay standing until you release them. After releasing, reward them with play.
Congratulations! Once they understand the command and behavior, you can move to the long-term part of training–introducing challenges such as increased distractions, or a longer time that they need to hold the “stand” position.
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training provides professional obedience classes and puppy training for Sarasota, Palmetto and Bradenton area residents.
