Help required!

Ok we are almost 100% on our recall, which is great and such a relief!

However, since Tala had her accident she will not stay, this isn't such a problem around the house, but it is becoming a real frustration when we go to dog training!

Whenever we practice recall all the others in the class tell their dogs to stay, then call them with mixed success! we have now had to resort to my trainer standing on Tala's lead when I leave her and then she does her perfect recall.

She always had a perfect stay but it all seems to have gone wrong since Tala's accident, she just prefers to be with me. I have wondered if it is the shepherd within the breed and she wants to round me up! But again seems strange that it is a recent problem.

Any suggestions gratefully received

Nope its not the Shepherd lol. That was a VERY long way back
Go back to basics and put her in the sit with her on your left hand side. Telling her firmly to sit and holding your lead up high over her head so that she is 'held' in position.... step away with your right foot giving a firm command of 'sit' step straight back without delay. Repeat this over and over so she is comfortable with you moving a step away (to the right) Once she is sitting comfortable then move a little further but still holding your lead up above her head with your left hand... Difficult to describe... you can then move to her front and back again and front and back again making sure she dosnt move at all. Once this is ok then step to her right and then do a circle around her and back to her right side. Keep at all time your lead taut above her head. You will only be able to move as long as your arm is held in same position so not far away.

When she is very comfortable with this you can relax your arm and then repeat all over again with loose lead and arm relaxed. Dont do this all at once but over a couple of training sessions. Once she is ok with this then you can use an extended lead and do all again. Go steady and dont rush and you will win. Once she is happy on extended lead then you can use a rope or what I use which is a horses lunge line. You can then move further away and repeat training. She should be fine doing this and then you can try to leave her in the sit and walk away from her. Dont call her but return everytime to her side. Stand for a minuite and then prase then have a game. Games are very important between training. I dont use food at all only play. Voice is also very important and rememeber to keep using the command SIT not her name only SIT her name is used only for calling her to you. I could go on but think I have covered enough confusion haha

So, if I understand Lynn correctly, the basics of 'stay' training is to have the dog sit in one position (best on one side of the handler) and work with dog in each direction until the dog is comfortable, only moving one step, and then up the ante by moving up more steps away from the dog while simultaneously giving more slack?

I'm assuming the time period stepping away from the dog is at most 3-5 seconds? But starting off with a quick 3 seconds and gradually increasing to 5 seconds and then more as the dog is more comfortable staying in one position?

You got it