One of the most common things I hear from owners — whether they’re in group classes with me or we’re working one-on-one — is:

“My dog knows the command… they just don’t do it when it matters.”

And honestly? Most of the time, they’re right. The dog does know the cue.What’s missing usually isn’t effort, intelligence, or motivation. It’s proofing.When I’m troubleshooting obedience issues, I almost always come back to the same three things:Duration. Distance. Distraction.If one of these is weak, the whole command falls apart. When all three are solid, obedience starts to hold up in real life — not just in your living room.

Pillar #1: Duration — Teaching the Dog to Stay in the Behavior

Duration is simply how long your dog can maintain a behavior after you give the cue.A sit that lasts half a second and a sit that lasts calmly for a minute are two very different skills — even though they look the same at first glance.

Something I see all the time:

Owners accidentally teach their dog that the command ends immediately.It usually looks like this:

• Cue “sit”
• Dog sits
• Owner instantly releases, steps away, or starts the next exercise

The dog learns that sit just means touching their butt to the ground — not staying there until told otherwise.

How I like to build duration:

• I start with very short holds — sometimes only a second or two
• I reward calm stillness, not the dog creeping forward or anticipating the release
• I increase time slowly, one success at a time
• I’m very clear about the release cue so the dog isn’t guessing

💡 Duration isn’t about pressure or nagging. It’s about clarity and patience.

Pillar #2: Distance — Listening Without You Hovering

Distance is how far away you can be from your dog while they still perform — and hold — the behavior.Most dogs look fantastic when their owner is right in front of them. Things change quickly once space is added.

Where people tend to get stuck:

Distance is often added way too fast.Owners step back, turn away, or walk out of the room before the dog truly understands the behavior up close.

How I build distance in training:

• I add inches before feet
• I step away and return before the dog breaks
• I reward the dog for staying, not just for doing the initial cue
• If the dog breaks, I don’t correct — I simply know I asked for too much

💡 Distance isn’t something you test — it’s something you earn.

Pillar #3: Distraction — Training for Real Life

Distraction is everything else competing for your dog’s attention:

• Other dogs
• People
• Food
• Movement
• Smells
• New environments

This is where most obedience seems to “fall apart,” and where I hear owners say their dog is being stubborn, selective, or disrespectful.

What’s usually really happening behind the scenes:

The dog is overwhelmed by competing information.The command hasn’t been practiced enough under those conditions yet.

How I approach distractions:

• I start with very low-level distractions
• I change only one variable at a time
• I train in many different environments, not just at home
• When distractions go up, my expectations go down

💡 Distraction doesn’t mean your dog has failed — it tells you where the training needs more support.

The Rule I Live By: Only Increase ONE Pillar at a Time

This is where even experienced owners can unintentionally sabotage progress.If you increase duration, distance, and distraction all at once, something is going to give.

A common setup I see:

• Asking for a long down
• While the owner walks away
• In a busy or stimulating environment

That’s not fair training — and it usually leads to frustration on both ends of the leash.Instead, I focus on:

• Building duration first, up close
• Adding distance with minimal distraction
• Layering in distraction slowly and thoughtfully

Why This Actually Matters

Anyone can get a dog to sit in their kitchen.What owners really want is obedience that holds up when life is happening:

• When guests come through the door
• When another dog walks by
• When you don’t want to repeat yourself five times

That kind of reliability isn’t built through force, bribery, or endless repetition.It’s built through structure, clarity, and consistency — and understanding what your dog is actually being asked to do.

Final Thoughts

I remind clients of this a lot during training: if something falls apart, it doesn’t mean your dog is being difficult — it usually means we just need to adjust the picture a bit.If your dog “knows” the command but struggles to follow through, try not to jump straight to frustration.Instead, ask yourself:

• Is the duration fair for my dog right now?
• Is the distance appropriate?
• Are the distractions reasonable for their current level of training?

Training doesn’t have to be flashy to be effective.When you build duration, distance, and distraction properly, obedience stops being hit-or-miss — and starts becoming dependable.— Stacey Steeves

Trainer & Breeder, Building Bonds for Life