Hunter learns to Wait

If you’ve ever had an adult Lab barrel through the door ahead of you, you will appreciate Hunter’s progress in this video on Wait (at the door), a skill we practice at any major threshold. Upon command, the dog refrains from forward motion (Sit optional) until released, either by a release word or another obedience cue. The snack adds value to the wait, but for most dogs the release into forward motion and over the threshold is reward enough. Owners with horses understand Wait — we would never allow a horse to enter a stall ahead of us or without permission. We can be equally inconvenienced, if not injured, by a big dog — providing another example of how our “fur kids” are really animals, after all, that benefit from basic manners.