Your dog sits perfectly the first time, every time — in the kitchen. Then you step onto the sidewalk, ask for the same “sit,” and get a blank stare, a pulled leash, or a nose buried in the nearest patch of grass. It’s tempting to read that as stubbornness. It isn’t. It’s one of the most common — and most misunderstood — obedience mistakes dog owners make, and it’s rarely the only one working against your training. Below are the seven mistakes that most consistently stall obedience progress, why each one happens, and how to fix them using positive reinforcement…


