When you give a dog any command, you have routinely assumed a domineering role and put the dog into a submissive one. Standing is a somewhat dominant canine posture, whereas the Sit and the Down are submissive dog positions, so it is sometimes difficult to teach a naturally obedient dog to “Stand” when told. When a dog is given the command “Stand,” many will comply, but lower their tails quickly, ears and head – all obedient body language.
Be calm and patient. The preferred dog Stand has four feet on the floor but it's also nice to see his head up and the tail wagging. Don't be too concerned if at first your dog would rather be a jokester than stand still. He will mature one day.
Let's say your dog Lexi is learning the phrase “Stay” which sounds similar to “Stand.” Whenever you see him standing still, it can work to your favor. The dog may stop for a while to decipher which one you said, giving you a good opportunity to emphasize it with a “good stand.” Dogs do not spend too much time standing around, so you'll have to train your dog, not just rely on trying to catch him doing it. You can also walk him into a stand.
When your dog good at heeling, slow down and as you come to a full stop, bring your right hand in front of him with your palm side toward his little nose then say “Stand.” Continue this hand signal calmly or Lexi will think he is going to be zipped and he'll actually duck! Practice by taking one or two short steps then give the “Stand” command. Getting his head in a high position and satisfied and the tail wagging calls for a little snack poised for a while with a “Watch me!” One or two good “stands” are followed by a stirring romp in the early days of dog training. Standing steady is very difficult.
Take advantage of every chance to ask your dog to Stand. If you've been commanding him to Sit before putting his meal on the ground, now you can switch to a Sit with a Stand – and offer a little snack reward right out of his meal bowl. Use the Stand command to start a grooming session, but let him go after a few moments. A “perfect stand” is only necessary of an adult dog for about 60 seconds. Standing is essential for at least part of his weekly brushing, but not standing at attention. On each one of his grooming sessions you can make use Of the Sit, the Stand, and even the Down commands.
To grasp more command of the training language with your dog, review library books on the topic and watch training shows on television, like on Pet Planet and National Geographic where Caesar the Dog Whisperer share tips regularly. You can also order dog training books, CDs, DVDs, reports, ebooks and more online 24/7 by searching keyword phrases like, “dog training” in top search engines like Google.com.
