“But she knows it. She did it at home all week!”
We hear that all the time—and we understand exactly where it’s coming from.
Just last week, Joy, one of our longtime clients, came into class excited to show off her dog Lucy’s progress. She had been working on “down-stay” all week in her living room. Lucy would plop down and stay in place through dinner, laundry folding, and even during a surprise doorbell ring.
But the moment they came into the training room, Lucy sniffed once, looked around wide-eyed, and forgot everything.
Joy sat down,deflated, looked at me, and said, “I don’t get it. She knows it.”
But what Joy didn’t know (yet!) was that Lucy didn’t forget. She simply hadn’t learned how to do the behavior here—in this room, with these smells and distractions. It wasn’t disobedience. It was just part of the process.
Learning Happens in Layers: Acquisition, Fluency & Generalization
Many people assume their dog has “learned” a cue after a few successful repetitions. But early on, your dog is usually still making really good guesses—based on your body language, tone, location, or what’s in your hand. They’re piecing together a full-picture moment, not a single cue.
Let’s break it down:
1. Acquisition: The Guessing Game
At this early stage, your dog is simply trying to figure out what earns a reward. They’re watching everything you do—are you leaning forward? Reaching into a treat pouch? Standing by the fridge? They’re not being obedient—they’re being observant.
A dog who “sits” in the kitchen after you open the treat jar hasn’t truly learned the cue sit. They’re responding to the pattern, not just the word. It’s clever, and it’s a start—but it’s not enough for real-world reliability.
2. Fluency: Turning Cues into Confidence
Fluency means your dog responds confidently, quickly, and without hesitation—even when there’s no visible reward.
But fluency only comes from focused, consistent practice in the specific context you’re working in.
For example, teaching “leave it” at home with a treat in your hand is very different from using it on a walk when your dog spots something stinky in the grass. The environment has changed, your body language may be different—and to your dog, it might feel like an entirely new behavior.
So when your dog seems to forget everything when you come back to class after a week of practice, don’t get disappointed or discouraged. Take a breath, relax, and reintroduce the cue gently. Most dogs will pick it back up quickly. They’re not being bad—they just haven’t fully generalized it yet.
3. Generalization: Making the Behavior Portable
Dogs don’t naturally generalize cues. A behavior learned in the kitchen might mean nothing in the living room—let alone on a busy sidewalk or in a store.
Generalization means helping your dog understand that a cue like “stay” means the same thing in a wide variety of places and situations.
To generalize, your dog must practice:
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In different rooms of the house
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With different people
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With different distractions
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In different postures and tones of voice
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In new environments altogether
Trainers often call this process “proofing”—teaching the same behavior across varied environments, people, and distractions until it becomes truly reliable.
Just like proofing a recipe ensures it works every time, proofing a behavior helps your dog understand that “sit” means “sit”—not just in the kitchen, but everywhere.
That often means going back to basics in each new place. It’s not regression—it’s the path to lasting results.
Real-Life Training: Practicing in Natural Moments
You don’t need to set aside an hour every day for formal training. The best training often happens in everyday moments.
Try weaving training into your routine:
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Ask for a down-stay while you cook dinner.
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Practice crate time while you shower or fold laundry.
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Reinforce calm sits at the door before letting someone in.
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Play recall games in the hallway or backyard.
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Ask for a “place” cue during TV time or while chatting with a guest.
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Use “leave it” during meal prep or when snacks fall to the floor.
These moments build your dog’s understanding that cues aren’t tricks—they’re part of life.
Build It Step-by-Step: Location Progression Matters
A dog who performs a perfect “stay” in the kitchen might fall apart completely in a busy park—and that’s okay. Training needs to happen in layers, from easy to challenging.
Here’s a simple progression you can follow:
Start at Home
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Kitchen
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Hallway
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Family room
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Garage
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Porch or deck
Add Light Distractions
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Backyard
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Quiet street
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Empty parking lot
Move Into the Real World
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Neighborhood sidewalks
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Pet-friendly shops
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Public parks
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Outdoor markets or festivals
At every new stage, you may need to simplify. You might go back to luring or use higher-value rewards. That doesn’t mean your dog forgot—it means they’re learning all over again in a new context.
Why Dogs “Ignore” You in Public (And What to Do About It)
When dogs don’t respond, they’re not being defiant. They’re struggling with one or more of these:
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They’re over threshold: Too excited, too scared, or too overwhelmed to think clearly. (“Over threshold” means your dog is so emotionally charged—positively or negatively—that they can’t focus or respond to cues.)
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They’re too distracted: The environment is more interesting than anything you’re offering.
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You haven’t practiced enough in that context: The cue isn’t meaningful there—yet.
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The reward isn’t motivating: Competing rewards are stronger (squirrel, dropped food, other dogs).
In most cases, the solution is not correction—it’s compassion and a step back in training.
Attention in high-distraction situations is not a personality trait—it’s a skill earned through progression.
What Makes Training “Stick”
The dog who performs beautifully at a festival or in a classroom didn’t get lucky. That’s a dog who has been shown, step by step, how to focus and respond in increasingly challenging environments.
That reliability comes from:
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Training in new environments
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Rewarding small wins
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Returning to basics when needed
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Practicing in real-life situations
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Building a foundation of trust and communication
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YOU- becoming more rewarding than the distraction—being more exciting than the squirrel, more interesting than the crowd, and the most important thing in the room
Some behaviors can become reliable in a few weeks of consistent practice. Others—like calm leash walking or recall in the face of distraction—might take months. That’s not a failure; it’s a reflection of how real learning works.
It doesn’t matter how fast a dog “gets it” at first—what matters is how clearly and consistently we help them practice it.
Back to Joy and Lucy
Remember Joy and Lucy, who came to class after a great week of home practice only to feel discouraged? Joy was sure Lucy had forgotten everything. But Lucy hadn’t failed. She just needed a moment of reintroduction and reassurance in a new space. Within minutes of relaxed guidance, Lucy was offering the “down-stay” again—tail wagging, eyes shining, proud as can be.
Training isn’t a test—it’s a journey.
It’s not about whether your dog “knows it.” It’s about whether they’ve had the chance to learn it fully, through repetition, in a variety of contexts, with your support.
Every time you guide your dog with love, patience, and consistency, you’re helping them grow into the confident companion you want by your side.
Let training be fun. Let it be frequent. Let it be part of your life.
And let it remind you, again and again, that practice doesn’t make perfect—it makes progress.
Need Help Building Reliable Behaviors?
Whether you're just getting started or refining advanced skills, we’re here for you.
Ask us about:
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🐾 Puppy School
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🎯 Enrichment Sessions
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🐶 One-on-One Training
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🎓 Focus Class
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❤️ Therapy Dog Training
📞 Call us today to learn how we can support your dog’s real-life training journey.