My 5 second rule for dog training is a bit different. I use 5 seconds as a time limit for how long I’ll wait for my dog to offer a desired behavior in a training session. If I’m not getting anything to reinforce then I will either do a treat toss to break off for a quick reset, or end the session with a cookie scatter. Then, when I resume the session I need a better training plan. Dogs learn from successful repetitions, not from us staring at them waiting for them to do some unnamed thing they don’t understand. As an effective trainer my job is to set up the session and set criteria so my dog can easily be successful. You have to get the behavior (or an approximation of it) in order to have something to reinforce so you can move forward in a training session. Mutually frustrating sessions where you reinforce very little are damaging to your overall training relationship and your dog’s association with training. The idea of “waiting it out” is a pervasive misconception in training, particularly in shaping sessions. If I’m in a session where I expect my dog to be offering behavior and he’s not, then I’m doing something wrong.