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How does one train a Velcro dog to stay or wait? Mine will sit on command but immediately get up and come with me when I move forward even a foot or two. Any suggestions?
Stand in front of dog. Put him in a sit. Back away facing him up to about half the length of the leash. If he gets up, immediately give him a "pop" with the leash behind his head, and walk back toward him with your full body, give him the sit command, putting him back in a sit. Praise for a good sit, do not treat. Back away again.
Repeat as many times as needed until he stays sitting. We didn't use the "stay" command, just the "sit", and only gave him the release word (I use here) once he stayed sitting for a few seconds, then treated. I only backed up about 3 feet, but got him to stay sitting after about 3 tries.
Take a look at Pat Miller's book, "The Power of Positive Dog Training."
Have your dog sit facing you. Tell her to 'stay' and take a step back. If she gets up, then get her to sit again. Tell her to 'stay' and take a step back again. If she does this then have a BIG celebration: great treats (chicken, cheese, steak) and lots of high-pitched praises. The next time take TWO steps back.
It's the same way you'd train a dog to go down stairs: you don't start at the TOP of the flight of stairs, you start at the bottom step and work up.
GRADUAL progress. And positive training is the way to go.
I have to agree with ViralMD. I think in this situation a punishing aversive is probably unnecessary. Creating a positive and safe environment for dogs to learn builds trust and reinforces the bond between dog and handler. Injecting any aversive into the equation is counterproductive to what you want to achieve. With leash pops, it becomes too easy to rely on this attention getting action and ignore the real goal of training, which is achieving communication with your dog. Punishment of any kind is not communication, it is a consequence.
There is a valid place for negative punishment, but it should not be the trainer's first choice.
The vast majority of companion dogs will respond well to positive techniques. Other forms of training may have a place in training dogs with high prey drives and those with behavioral issues but significant experience and expertise are required in using these methods.
Location: Went around the corner & now I'm lost!!!!
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VMD is telling you the correct way to do it. But it take repetition (20 to 30 times a day) in short sessions. Training of any form takes TIME and positive reward whether it a treat or a rub and a hug. Good luck.
Oh for chrissake, there's nothing wrong with a pop. Of course, if you don't know the difference between a pop and jerk on the leash, then don't use it. It's only enough to get the dog's attention, nothing harmful. Geez.
Abusive? Pffffttt. People are so damn oversensitive about that word.
Training any dog - but particularly a clingy/velcro dog to sit/stay with negative (leash pops, etc) training approaches, teaches the dog that 'sitting when my owner walks away from me is a negative experience' - it's proven. So they are prone to get up to avoid the negative response from their owner. Lots of "old school" trainers have admitted that these negative responses are counter-productive to a good training relationship with your dog.
Teaching sit/stay takes TIME and patience on the part of the owner. Some dogs can only tolerate their owner issuing this chain of commands "sit/stay" and then having the owner pivot in front of their dog - literally facing them - for a very long time. Adding one step takes a long time, adding two steps a long time, etc.
Stronger, more confident dogs, do learn distance sit/stay a bit quicker, because they understand their owner is coming back for them and are 'ok' sitting a distance from them. Clingy dogs are not so confident - so while they are learning sit/stay, they are also learning to trust that their owner is coming back for them. Interpret this to mean MORE TIME in training. Patience and a consistent approach is really important when working with dogs who aren't as confident about being away from their owner.
Always reward 'wanted behavior' - so if the dog offers the sit/stay for you to pivot in front of them, mark with your verbal marker, then offer a tasty treat and quickly release your dog from this position/command (use a release word like "ok" or "all done") - rinse and repeat over and over - and soon you'll be leaving your dog for a distance sit/stay and both of you will be proud of your accomplishments!!! Releasing your dog quickly, while they are RIGHT - solidifies the behavior you want to see from them.......
If your dog gets up - issue a verbal marker that cues 'unwanted behavior' - such as "wrong" or "nope" - and start the exercise over. This verbal marker is different than the release word, but similiar in that it cues your dog that they are 'done', but since it was not the behavior requested, there is no reward. You simply return to the beginning and start over. Then request the "sit", issue the "stay" and pivot in front of your dog. Be prepared to reward (verbally and with treats) the second your dog can do that successfully, then release.......then come back and update us on your progress
To clarify my post: I was not implying that leash pops such as you describe are abusive. An aversive is not necessarily--and most often is not--abusive. An aversive is merely something that the animal does not like and will seek to avoid. Similarly, in training, the term "punishment" doesn't refer to abuse. It's a term derived from learning theory. Here are some references that will explain it better than I can:
Using Aversives to Modify Your Dog's Behavior | The Humane Society of the United States (http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/destructive_chewing/using_aversives_to_modify_your_dogs_behavior.html - broken link)
Oh for chrissake, there's nothing wrong with a pop. Of course, if you don't know the difference between a pop and jerk on the leash, then don't use it. It's only enough to get the dog's attention, nothing harmful. Geez.
Abusive? Pffffttt. People are so damn oversensitive about that word.
Thank you........... PC has defiantly moved to the dog world! Good grief!
I also never stated that 'pops' are abusive, but they ARE aversive and, therefore, completely unnecessary.
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over and over - and soon you'll be leaving your dog for a distance sit/stay and both of you will be proud of your accomplishments!!! 
Releasing your dog quickly, while they are RIGHT - solidifies the behavior you want to see from them.......
