# command change



## bjm442 (Feb 6, 2013)

My puppy is 5 to 6 months old, and I want to change the command "wait" to "stay". What happen was when I first got him I told him to "wait" when I put down his food. Now if we want he is "stay" we have to use "wait". I know it's going to take time, but im not sure how it go about it.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Don't sweat over it. 

Any physical command overrides a verbal command. 

If you don't know, the dog has not learned your verbal commands. Instead, it learned the subtle gesture you do when give a sit, stand...command. 

Only competition dogs know true verbal commands. So don't worry about changing commands. I have up to three commands that means the same to the dog ;D The dog knows what I mean by gesture... The command is for him to pay attention to me. 

We are not strict verbal, as long as I know he understands. 

Hope this makes sense


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## DixiesMom (Feb 5, 2009)

Wait and stay have two different meanings to my dogs. Wait means to stay where you are until I give you another direction. Stay means do not move until I return and release you. 

I would continue to use wait with his food and now teach stay. Our dogs are smart enough to know both.


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## bjm442 (Feb 6, 2013)

DixiesMom said:


> Wait and stay have two different meanings to my dogs. Wait means to stay where you are until I give you another direction. Stay means do not move until I return and release you.
> 
> I would continue to use wait with his food and now teach stay. Our dogs are smart enough to know both.


I will have to give that a try.


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

Our wait and stay mean the same as DixiesMom. Both are useful and the distinction is useful. But to each their own. Why change a command if its working?


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

bjm442 said:


> DixiesMom said:
> 
> 
> > Wait and stay have two different meanings to my dogs. Wait means to stay where you are until I give you another direction. Stay means do not move until I return and release you.
> ...


It does understands subtle body movements we all make when giving commands. I could talk in riddles and it wouldn't matter. The subtle hand gesture I make when I say sit... That means sit to the dog. 

In competitive ring sport the handler cannot move any body part, even smile when giving an order. The dog has to understand verbal command only. In order to get to that level the dog must be taught over and over until it generalizes the meaning. It literally can take years to bring up a dog like that. And it won't respond to anyone except the handler. 

For the rest of us, LOL... When we give a command we move the hand, tilt our head... That is the command the dog understands. 
Not many of us stand like a statue when issue commands.


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## bjm442 (Feb 6, 2013)

Charlie only know verbal commands, i don't do anything with my hand... well only when I want him to go to bed, i use both. I tried "stay" tonight after the walk and he did.


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