OK, I am sorry I mentioned Schutzhund, because it has just confused:confused: the issue. I am not into that sport and just mentioned their use of commands as an example of differences in meaning.
When I tell my dog sit or down or stand, it is a temporary command unless I add "stay" to remain in place.
My understanding of the "down" in obedience trials is the dog can adjust its position, even to lying on its side -- just cannot change to a sit or stand or move away from where it has been left. Since the long down is for 5 minutes, to force the dog to remain motionless would be cruel.
At this point, however, I've been away from the sport for over ten years. It may have changed drastically. I know there is a shortened form of it
Right now, the only place I use "wait" is at the stairs. All it means to Sunna is "don't come onto the stairs until I am at the other end." I base this on her actions: she will wander around, sit, or lie down. When she sees I am at the top or bottom, she often starts onto the stairs without my giving her the release word. Since she is doing what I want, I haven't corrected her. If she is still waiting once I've reached the other end, I will give her the release word. But she doesn't have to wait for it. (Actually, once she got the point -- stay off the stairs if I am on them, I rarely given any command. So who knows what it really means to her?)
In obedience class, it seems to me, the stay means "don't move from this position (though, if you are down, you can roll on your side) until I return and either give you the release word or another command." The wait means "don't move from this position, but wait for my next command." The next command is normally a "come."
Right now, I am thinking about your response, my current dog's responses, and the responses of all my previous dogs. I think I will continue to use "wait" as a casual command and use "stay" any time I want my dog to remain in position. They've never seemed to be confused by "sit, stay" while I walk some distance away, turn, and call "name, come."
That also allows me to use "wait" in other situations, such as, "yes, I've the leash in my hand, but wait while I answer the phone, get the keys I forgot, turn off the TV, get the mail." Which only goes to show that dogs, living in the present moment, are smarter than I.
So, is that closer to your use of "wait"? It does let me tell my dog "stay" while I throw the ball.
This is getting pretty long.:eek: When I say "it does let me," I really mean "I am not going to confuse my dog." Long ago, I changed my release word because I use "OK" in too many situations. I never saw a dog break on a wrongly meant "OK," but people are pretty careful in class.
I've seen great changes in training methods at classes. The results, as far as how trained the dogs and humans are at the end, seem to be similar. However, the positive methods seem much better for the relationship between the dog and the human.
I hope this posting has been clear,
kjd
