(Mommy’s Note: This game is a fun way to improve your dog’s UNsupervised Sit-and-Stay and Come commands.)
Once a dog has a good supervised Sit-and-Stay, it’s time to challenge him by taking away the supervisor, so this can be a one-person game — or several people can be hiders!
Put the dog in a Sit-and-Stay. If a treat or a toy incentivizes your dog, have one in your hand, and show him what he stands to gain when he completes his task! Then go out of the room to a hiding place, and call or whistle for the dog to come and find you. Repeat the calls or whistles as needed to encourage the dog until he discovers you. Lavish praise on the dog and give him the treat or toy you are carrying. If two or more people are hiders, let the dog find one hider before the next one starts calling for him — simultaneous calls of “Come” (or whistles) from different sources will confuse your dog.
If your dog’s unsupervised Sit-and-Stay is weak, start by going out of the room, “hiding” just beyond the door, and very quickly calling the dog. Keep the time the dog has to Sit-and-Stay very short, to make it easy for him to succeed! When he finds you, lavish praise on the dog and give him the treat or toy you are carrying, to show him what a great reward he gets when he does what he is asked. Repeat several times, then take a long break — hours, maybe even until the same time next day. Then do it again, having your dog Sit-and-Stay for a few seconds longer, and rewarding lavishly. Keep repeating the process. Increase the length of the Sit-and-Stay by a few seconds with each session, and soon you’ll be able to go to the far end of the house while your dog waits patiently for your call.
Periodically start the game in a different room so that your dog gets the idea that he can be asked to Sit-and-Stay anywhere, not just in one particular part of the house. As your dog’s performance improves, take the game outside to a safe place like your fenced-in yard. This is a great game to take on the road and play in a friend or relative’s house or in a hotel room (have the dog Sit-and-Stay in the bathroom while you crouch down behind the bed or hide in the closet).