To teach a dog to stand, reward rising onto four paws before relying on a word or empty hand. This lesson teaches getting up, rather than holding the position.

Find the rising movement

Begin from a sit or down your dog can offer. Battersea draws the treat horizontally away from the nose, close enough to follow, then praises and rewards the stand.

Keep the guiding hand at standing nose height. RSPCA South Australia explains that guiding upward or toward the floor can invite jumping, sitting or lying down instead.

Mark the stand as it happens. Have the reward ready and deliver it while your dog is standing; waiting until they sit again rewards a different response.

The separate sit lesson and lie-down lesson cover those starting skills.

If the bottom barely rises

A dog that remains seated or immediately sits again may need a smaller request. The RSPCA SA sheet rewards a slight bottom lift first, then progressively higher rises. Distinguish that intermediate response from a full stand.

Remove food from the guiding hand

Following AKC's route, repeat the horizontal motion with an empty hand; mark the stand and reward from your other hand. If that fails, return to the food guide and retry. Once the empty gesture works reliably, say the word before that gesture.

Battersea uses a different order: it introduces the word together with the food-guiding gesture, then moves to the empty-hand signal. Choose one sequence consistently; these are different cue timings.

AKC also describes rewarding a stand offered naturally. Add the cue after your dog begins offering that response.

Finish at a manageable point

Use an already known finish cue to end practice. Keep withdrawal available: RSPCA SA's separate handling guidance lets an uncomfortable dog back away without restraint. Standing on cue does not establish permission for handling.

Before another attempt, identify the last workable part: starting position, hand path, partial rise, empty hand or word. If comfort or engagement changes, pause rather than repeating requests or moving your dog into place.

A training reward pouch stores rewards; it does not choose a suitable food for your dog.