Working at a distance
It isn't disobedience: it's the reward pulling him in
When your dog creeps forward between two cues, or "shuffles" towards you while holding a position, it isn't disobedience: from day one the treat has always ended up in your hand, so he comes to collect it. Working at a distance means teaching him to resist that reflex, and that is exactly what makes the exercise hard even though the positions themselves are already solid. A "velcro" dog, one who sticks to you, finds distance genuinely hard: it isn't technique he's missing, it's confidence. And confidence is built one very small step at a time.
Kit and prerequisites
Nothing exotic: the real prerequisite is positions that are already solid right next to you.
0 / 6Positions at a distance
You grow the distance in tiny increments, never in jumps of several metres: a step forward from him simply means the increment was too big.
Step 1 / 4He holds the position without creeping forward, and takes his reward on the spot.
- Stand facing your dog, one single step away
- Ask for a position he knows (sit, down or stand)
- He must take it without moving forward a single step
- Mark with a "yes!" as soon as he holds the position, before he has time to move, and place the treat exactly where he is
Move on when: He gets it right 4 times out of 5, across several different sessions, before you step back.
He is steady at this distance before you go any further.
- Step back only a few dozen centimetres
- Ask for the same position again, with the same standard: creeping forward still isn't accepted
- Always pay him where he is
- If he moves forward, go back to the previous increment, get a success, then move up a notch
Move on when: He gets it right 4 times out of 5 at this distance, across several different sessions, without moving forward at all, before you step back again.
All three positions hold at 3 or 4 metres, each on a small discreet signal.
- Keep saying the usual word (sit, down or stand) at the same time as the signal, exactly as before: the word doesn't change, it's the signal that will evolve
- For the sit: your straight arm starts along your side and rises straight up, vertically, above your head, in a firm, steady movement
- For the down: your straight arm starts at waist height, palm facing the ground, and comes straight down, slowly, until it almost brushes the ground in front of you
- For the stand: your bent forearm starts along your side and comes up horizontally in front of your chest, palm up, in a slightly brisker movement
- Keep the signal big and broad for the first few sessions
- Shrink it little by little into a small discreet sign, once the positions hold at several metres, without ever changing the word that goes with it
Move on when: He answers the understated signal cleanly, four times out of five.
He strings two or three transitions together on the spot, without gaining a centimetre.
- Chain sit, then down, then stand without him gaining a centimetre towards you
- Vary the order of the positions so he really listens to the cue
- Work in two calm settings before asking for more
Move on when: This is the moment of truth: at every change of position he wants to come forward, and he resists it.
If your dog keeps creeping forward even with small increments, put him on a low platform (a firm cushion, a step, a small podium): the edge acts as a landmark, and he feels he shouldn't go past it. Then fade the platform out little by little, gradually coming back to the ground.
"Go to your place": sending him to the mat from a distance
Your dog already knows the mat well: all you're doing is moving the starting point back, a little further each time.
Go back over the basics, right next to the mat
Your dog should already go to this mat willingly and stay there until your release word (if that isn't well established yet, take the time to build it first, in short sessions, before going on). Run a few reminders just before you start: mark every time he gets on the mat, feed him on the mat, never from your hand, and release him only on your word, for example "free!".
Teach the words "go to your place", at zero metres
Stay right beside the mat. The first time, guide your dog onto the mat with a treat held in front of his nose; the instant his paws touch the mat, say "go to your place" right then, mark with a "yes!" and feed him on the spot. Repeat like this, up close, saying the words as he steps on, until he goes there on the words alone, with no treat luring him. Only then do you start moving away, to 1 metre.
Send him from further and further away
Move the starting point back: 1 metre, then 2, then 3, then 5. Aim for a clean, direct send from each distance before going further. Once he's properly settled on the mat, walk over to him and place the treat right in front of his paws, never making him come to you (at 3 or 4 metres, if walking over to him breaks the exercise too much, you can also toss it so it lands right in front of him), then go back to your starting spot before releasing him. During the few seconds he holds the position, stay still, hands by your sides: the smallest movement towards him can make him break.
Change one thing at a time
When you send your dog further away, keep him on the mat for just a few seconds before releasing him. The day you want to hold him there longer, don't stretch the distance at the same time: changing both at once is what most often wrecks everything.
Vary the angles and the settings
Send him from another room he can see into, then with your own back to the mat (you're not looking at him, only the word counts), then in a real situation (the doorbell, mealtime), shortening the distance each time you add a new setting.
The mistakes that pull your dog towards you
Is this the right time for the two of you?
Go ahead, happily, if
- The positions already hold well one step away from you
- Your dog enjoys working and offers behaviours readily
- You can do short, regular sessions, with no pressure
- You have non-slip ground underfoot
Take it more gently if
- Your dog sticks to you and finds distance hard: keep the increments as small as they can be
- He's a growing puppy or an older dog: aim for precision rather than speed
- Positions up close are still shaky: firm them up first, distance will only expose their weak spots
What it's good for
Sending your dog to his place as you open the door to guests, settling him at a distance for a photo, or stopping him with a "down" several metres away, backing up your recall if needed. It's also the way into freestyle and agility. The principle never changes: one thing at a time, properly steady before you move on to the next.
Going further
Frequently asked questions
How do I teach my dog the down at a distance?
Start from the down he already knows one step away from you, then step back in increments of a few dozen centimetres. At each distance, mark with a "yes!" and place the treat where he is, never by calling him back. If he creeps forward, the increment was too big: drop back a notch.
My dog keeps coming back to me during the exercise, what should I do?
It isn't disobedience: everything he has learned tells him to move closer to the hand that pays. The fix comes down to one thing: pay him exactly where he is, never near you. And go back to smaller increments: a "velcro" dog progresses in very small steps.
How do I send my dog to his bed or his place from a distance?
The mat first has to be a place he goes to willingly and stays on until your release word ("free!"), with the reward given on the mat. Teach the words "go to your place" right next to the mat first, luring with a treat if needed, before stepping back to 1 metre, then 2, 3, 5. Never call your dog off the mat to pay him: the reward comes to him.
How do I get a sit to hold at a distance without him creeping forward?
Grow the distance in tiny increments, and accept no creeping forward at one notch before you step back any further. Place the reward where he is, never held out from your hand. A step forward isn't a fault to tell him off for: it's simply a sign that the increment, or where you're rewarding, needs a rethink.
Do I need a clicker for distance work?
No, a simple marker word is enough: a short, crisp "yes!" tells your dog "that's it" at the right moment, even several metres away. What matters isn't the tool but the timing of the marker and the reward placed where he's working.
From what age can you work on positions at a distance?
Once the basic positions are reliable up close. With a growing puppy or an older dog, aim for precision rather than speed: no explosive starts or sharp stops on hard ground, and always a non-slip surface. At the slightest sudden refusal, think physical discomfort first and have him checked by a vet.
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