Cherry Blossom Photos, and Why “Sit-Stay” Isn’t as Simple as It Sounds

Australian Shepherd holding a sit stay on a cherry blossom set

Asking your dog to hold a stay in a sit position should be easy, right?

Well… not so fast.

There’s a good reason we chose this as our theme for our Cherry Blossom Daycare PLUS photo set. It turns out, asking your dog to hold still in sit position is much more challenging than you’d expect — especially when they’ve spent a lot of time being rewarded for “down-stay” behavior.

Here’s what happens: the moment your dog hears “stay,” they eagerly drop into a down. Why? Because that’s what they’ve been reinforced for again and again. It’s their go-to move — they are certain that it’s the right answer!

And to make it even trickier, once we humans sit on the ground to snap a photo (which we do while taking photos), it’s an extra cue that encourages our dogs to get lower too. Instead of staying upright in a sit, they slide into a comfy down so they can look up at us — it feels more natural to them in that moment.

Why does it matter if your dog holds a “sit-stay”? Practicing sit-stay with different body positions and in varied locations will help your dog generalize the skill. And if you want a dog who can sit reliably anywhere, anytime, this is the kind of challenge that really helps build that reliability.

Try this at home:

  1. Grab a handful of your dog’s favorite treats

  2. Ask your dog to sit

  3. Slowly lower yourself to the ground as if you’re about to take a photo

  4. Reward generously for holding the sit, and be sure to treat up high at the level their head is supposed to be!

If your dog slides into a down, no problem! Reinforce more while you’re standing up, and try a halfway position like kneeling before you try again from the ground.

Here’s to progress, play, and pretty petals — enjoy the photos and enjoy the training journey!