Day 1
Marker & Name Response
Say the dog's name in a quiet room, mark and reward instant eye contact. 10 reps, low distraction.
Ready to advance when: Dog turns toward you within 1 second, 8 of 10 reps.
30-Day Basic Obedience Plan
A day-by-day home plan building name response, sit, down, stay, loose-leash walking, recall foundations, leave-it, and polite greetings — six teaching days a week with Sunday recovery.
30 days · Six teaching days a week · Every 7th day is recovery
Week 1: Foundations
Build the reward mechanics and first behaviors before asking for anything advanced.
Day 2
Sit (Lure to Position)
Lure with a treat over the nose and up; mark the moment the hips touch down, then reward.
Ready to advance when: 4 of 5 reps with the lure.
Day 3
Sit (Fading the Lure)
Use the same hand motion with no food in it; reward from the other hand after the sit.
Ready to advance when: 3 of 5 reps with an empty hand.
Day 4
Hand Target
Present a flat palm near the nose; mark and reward any nose contact, then add slight distance.
Ready to advance when: Dog reaches to touch the palm from 1 foot away.
Day 5
Settle on a Mat (Intro)
Reward the dog for lying down or relaxing on a mat with no cue yet — just catch it happening.
Ready to advance when: Dog chooses the mat unprompted at least once.
Day 6
Review & Consolidate
Practice name response, sit, hand target, and mat settle in brief sequence; note the weakest one.
Ready to advance when: All four skills complete at yesterday's level.
Week 2: Down, Stay, and First Leash Skills
Add a second position, duration, and the first leash and impulse-control skills.
Day 8
Down (Lure from Sit)
Lure the nose down and back until elbows touch the floor; mark and reward.
Ready to advance when: 4 of 5 reps with the lure.
Day 9
Down (Fading the Lure)
Use the same hand motion empty-handed; reward after the down from the other hand.
Ready to advance when: 3 of 5 reps with an empty hand.
Day 10
Stay — Duration (Sit)
Ask for a sit, wait 3-5 seconds, then use a clear release word before rewarding.
Ready to advance when: 5 seconds still, no distance or distraction added yet.
Day 11
Stay — Duration (Down)
Same as Day 10 in the down position. Keep distance and distraction at zero.
Ready to advance when: 5 seconds still in a down.
Day 12
Loose-Leash Walking (Intro)
Walk a few steps indoors or in a quiet yard; reward the dog for staying near your leg. Stop moving if the leash tightens.
Ready to advance when: 3 steps of slack-leash walking in a row.
Day 13
Leave-It (Intro)
Cover a treat with your hand; reward for not pawing or mouthing. Progress to an uncovered item once calm.
Ready to advance when: Dog disengages from the covered treat within 3 seconds.
Week 3: Recall Foundations and Mild Distraction
Introduce recall safely and add the first easy distractions to existing skills.
Day 15
Recall Foundations (Indoors)
Call the dog's name plus your recall cue from a few feet away; jackpot the reward on arrival. Never call the dog to something unpleasant.
Ready to advance when: Dog comes immediately, 4 of 5 reps.
Day 16
Recall on a Long Line (Yard)
Repeat the recall at greater distance using a long line in a secure yard. Do not go off-leash yet.
Ready to advance when: Reliable recall at 15-20 feet on the line.
Day 17
Stay + Mild Distraction
Introduce light movement or a quiet sound during the stay. If the dog breaks, return to yesterday's easier version.
Ready to advance when: Stay holds through one mild distraction.
Day 18
Polite Greeting
Have a familiar person approach; reward calm greeting, remove attention if the dog jumps.
Ready to advance when: Dog greets without jumping, 3 of 5 approaches.
Day 19
Loose-Leash Walking + Mild Distraction
Walk a quiet block; reward check-ins and stop walking when the leash tightens.
Ready to advance when: Dog re-engages with you without a verbal reminder.
Day 20
Leave-It + Real Distraction
Practice leave-it with a dropped item on a walk, or a higher-value food than Day 13.
Ready to advance when: Dog leaves the item within 3 seconds, 3 of 5 reps.
Week 4: Proofing — Distance, Duration, and Real Life
Add one difficulty at a time and start rehearsing real household moments.
Day 22
Stay — Add Distance
Take one step back before returning to reward; add a second step only after success.
Ready to advance when: Stay holds at 3-5 feet of distance.
Day 23
Stay — Add Duration
Extend to 30-60 seconds with calm handler movement nearby.
Ready to advance when: 60 seconds still with mild handler movement.
Day 24
Recall — Add Distraction
Practice recall on the long line with a mild distraction present, such as a toy or another person.
Ready to advance when: Reliable recall with one distraction present.
Day 25
Loose-Leash Walking — New Context
Walk a new block or park path; reward focus around novel sights and smells.
Ready to advance when: Comparable performance to Day 19 in a new location.
Day 26
Door Manners
Practice a sit-stay while the front door opens; only release the dog through the door on your cue.
Ready to advance when: Dog holds the stay through a full door open-close cycle.
Day 27
Combine Skills
Run a short sequence: sit at the door, walk to the car or yard on a loose leash, settle on the mat once inside.
Ready to advance when: Full sequence completed without a reset.
Week 5: Integration and Assessment
Confirm the full skill set together and set the maintenance plan.
Day 29
Full Walkthrough
Practice sit, down, stay, recall, loose-leash walking, leave-it, greeting, and mat settle in one session; note the weakest skill.
Ready to advance when: Every skill performed at its trained level.
Day 30
Real-Life Test & Maintenance Plan
Practice the full set during a real errand or walk. Write down which skill needs continued practice and at what difficulty to keep advancing.
Ready to advance when: Skills transfer to the real outing; maintenance plan written.
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