Startline Stays

Startline stays are a super important skill for agility teams. As modern course design trends toward larger courses with longer and faster lines, it’s super helpful when you can trust that your canine teammate will stay put while you lead out to get ahead. Read on for tips to train a startline stay, proof distractions, and fix broken startline stays too!

 

What does it look like? 

First, make sure you have to have a clear picture of what the behavior will look like. What are your criteria? Startline stays should have clear and specific criteria. 

For example:

• The dog should remain on the spot, in position, and keep still no matter what is going on around him, until the handler says a release word.

 

Once you have determined your criteria, be consistent! If your startline is a sit-stay, always make sure the dog sits. If the dog moves even a little bit, go back and reset them. Keeping your criteria clear will ensure your dog understands exactly what is expected of him at the startline, and he’ll be able to stick to that more easily. Read more about maintaining criteria here!  

Tip: Be sure your dog releases from the stay when he hears your release word, not when he sees you motion. Many handlers say the release word while also moving, and the dog learns to release on motion rather than the verbal release word. Lead out, be a statue, say your release word, then run! 

 

Getting started

 

Most puppies and young dogs will more easily learn a sit-stay, but you can teach a down-stay if you’d prefer that. The first phase of training a startline is to teach the dog the position (such as sit). Click here to see how it’s done! The key is to use your treats to show the dog to sit by luring him into position. Once he sits, immediately reward him, then keep rewarding him in sitting position only. Say your release word before he gets up so he learns to wait for your verbal release cue. Remember, dogs understand ‘you are right’, but they can’t understand ‘you were right’. By rewarding your dog while he’s sitting, and in position, he’ll understand he’s doing the right thing.

 

• Be timely with your rewards.

• Reward your dog in position. 

• Gradually build up the length of time (duration) of the stay.

• Always say your release word (for example, ok!) before your dog gets up. That’s how he’ll learn to wait for you to give the release word for him to get up.

 

Adding distractions and distance

 

Once your pup can sit still for a few seconds, it’s time to add distractions. It’s important for your dog to understand that he should continue to stay until you say the release word, no matter what’s going on around him. Is the leash runner behind him? Is there a dog outside the ring? Are there trial sounds going on around him? He should keep staying no matter what. The better your dog understands how to hold a stay with distracting things going on, the more you can trust this in trial situations. 

 

You can introduce distractions in lots of different ways, and practice them anywhere you go. Click here to see how to get started with low level distractions, such as moving around and away from your dog. Once you’ve introduced simple distractions, it’s time to progress to more challenging proofing. Raise the challenge little by little, and remember to proof stays around sounds and things that move. Here’s an example of some startline proofing to try with a training buddy! 

 

• Start somewhere quiet.

• Your movement around and away from your dog are the first distractions to practice with.

• Always go back to your dog and reward him in position. 

• Praise your dog for staying even if you’re not right near him.

• Always give your release word before your dog gets up.

 

My dog keeps breaking his startline stay. What can I do? 

 

Let’s face it. We’re human. Sometimes we forget to be consistent, especially at trials when we’re nervous or excited. Maybe your dog got up from his stay without the release word, and you ran the course anyway. We’ve all been there! So what do we do? The answer is to go back to foundations. Go back to rewarding your dog in position, adding distractions and distance, and check that you have clear criteria. Here are some more tips for fixing a broken startline.

 

Sometimes broken startlines are due to ring stress. Fortunately, there’s plenty we can do to help our dogs feel confident at trials. Check out OneMind Dogs Assistant Coach Megan Fosters Steps to a Solid Startline: Part 1, and Part 2.