If your poodle knows to stay on cue, your life will be easier. You'll avoid worrying about her rushing out the door or jumping out of the car before you're ready, and you'll have a poodle that will stay out of the way on request.

The First D: Duration

To teach your poodle to stay using positive methods, start by asking her to sit, so that she is facing you. Keep a treat in your hand so that she can see it, and give it to her after one second, while she stays seated. Then use a release word of your choice, like “Break,” “All done,” “Free,” or “Okay.” If she doesn't get up at that point, encourage her to do so, but don't give her a treat. You're rewarding the stay, not the release.

Ask her to sit again, this time waiting several seconds before you give her the treat. Once she can sit there, treat in sight, for three or four seconds without getting up, add the cue “Stay.”

Continue slowly adding to the duration — staying right in front of your dog — until your poodle is staying for twenty seconds. You can reward her during the stay, but add the “Stay” cue after each treat so she doesn't think she's free to go.

The Second D: Distraction

Now add a distraction, but make the duration short. Take a step to one side. Hop up and down. Dance a little jig. After each distraction, click and treat the stay. If your poodle breaks the stay any time during this process, move the treat out of her sight. Don't say anything about the break. Calmly ask her to sit, and try again, taking it back a step or two in duration or distraction. Training a stay positively means your poodle stays put of her own volition, rather than out of fear of getting in trouble.

Gradually add to the distractions — you can get creative about how you distract her — always setting your dog up for success. Only add further distractions after she's solid on the ones you've tried.

The Third D: Distance

Now that you've mastered two of the three D's (duration and distraction), it's time to add the third: distance.

Again, make it easy by eliminating the distractions and lowering duration at first. Have your poodle sit, and start by taking one step back. If she doesn't take a step toward you, immediately click and return to her to give her the treat. Then use your release word to end the stay. Do it again, each time increasing the distance slightly. Always return to your dog to treat and release her, rather than calling her to you.

When you've worked yourself to about six feet away, you can add duration and distraction, one at a time, and gradually.