We often make the mistake of thinking dogs know something just because they learned it once, or the same way. But dogs don’t generalize well. Just because your puppy knew how to ‘sit’ in classes doesn’t mean they get it when out and about. When your older dog stays before a meal is put down does not mean it translates to the neighborhood. That is why I always tell people to teach a new behavior in a good classroom or better yet at a relaxed place like their home, where you can perfect that skill in a controlled environment.

But here is the key: you’ve got to start variations at those places too! If you normally give a command when you are standing, try kneeling down… does your dog still follow through? What about when you are across the room? Getting a dog to better generalize means working through a variety of different conditions at home to make the command have a solid foundation. But after that, you still must take that skill “on the road”.