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LESSON 5 · Level Up: Advanced Commands

Back, From Across the Room

Early on, your dog backs up only when you are right in front of them. The next leap is distance: getting the same response without crowding their space.

Finally, add duration. Ask your dog to back up five steps and hold there until you release.

That hold is the part that makes back genuinely useful. Distance alone is a flinch; distance plus a hold is reliable space you can count on.