For command obedience and behaviors to be solid, they have to be generalized.

Generalized means: commands have to be practiced in many different situations and contexts, because dogs are detail specific as a species.

Raising the bar in increments and practicing commands in many different situations solidifies obedience and takes good behavior to the next level.

Let me illustrate generalization with the Sit command. Typically, the butt-on-the-ground action is taught with the owner/handler facing the dog. Ideally, the dog is enticed to sit, and rewarded when he does it. Once the behavior is solid; and solid according to Steve White, K-9 trainer and lecturer, is to get immediate response 9 times out of 10, change the context. For example: request a sit with the dog beside you; while your back is turned; when you sit or lie down; in the park; after your dog received her food; on the walk; before she hops in the car, and so on.

Don’t assume your dog knows the command just because he responds reliably in a certain context. Likely, and unless generalized, he only understands the sequence of events, not the command word. By generalizing every command that’s important to you, you ensure that your dog behaves reliably in many different circumstances. Once a certain level is reached, which is different for each dog, generalized behaviors are reliable in every situation.


Generalization is not only important for obedience commands, but also for problem behavior modification. For example: if a dog-aggressive dog’s behavior is changed through desensitization and counter conditioning (or any other mindful behavior modification technique), her new acquired tolerance to other dogs might only be circumstantial; she might be able to remain calm around certain types of dogs, or in certain parks. Practicing the new behavior in many locations and with many different dogs eventually leads to a threshold point, after which she tolerates all dogs, anywhere.


Good behaviors have to be learned in increments, which brings us to the next topic.

Incremental learning means to raise the bar in small enough steps so that the dog is set up for success. It’s like building a pyramid. There has to be a sound foundation to build on, which is the leadership relationship you have with your dog.

Then training new behaviors, or changing old ones, begins at the last level both you and your dog were successful. Once the desired behavior is reliable at the level, raise the bar, challenge your dog for more and generalize. Once that behavior is solid, raise the bar again. You get better and better behavior without causing fear, stress and (your) frustration.

Let me illustrate with a down-stay: first, you teach your dog to lie down on command. You increase the duration while you are right in front of him, reminding and rewarding periodically. Once he reliably stays in position for two minutes, begin to increase your distance by stepping away – one step at a time. Return periodically, reward but don’t release, remind and step back again. Once you have a two-minute duration with you 8-10 feet away, and without having to remind your dog to stay, incorporate distractions = begin to generalize. When you first add distractions, one at a time, stay close to your dog again. The rule for incremental learning is that whenever you add something new, make something else easier. Then, once your dog has a solid down-stay around distractions, add distance again and you have a reliable down-stay anywhere, with the option to step away from your dog if you have to.

Regarding our hypothetical dog-aggressive dog, incremental practicing means to increase the distance to another dog again when she is in a new park, or shorten the time she is there, or both.


A behavior problem is the tip of the pyramid. Typically, a frustrated owner focuses on that, not realizing that it is but a symptom of a relationship not working, and/or confusion in the dog due to training that overwhelmed, frustrated or frightened the pooch, or was simply not generalized. If only the problem is dealt with, the owner might be able to superficially suppress it, but the crumbling relationship foundation and shaky obedience not addressed causes good behaviors to fall apart as soon as the dog is under pressure, and new, undesired ones to surface.

The effective way to deal with any behavior problem is to establish a leadership relationship and backtrack to the last successful training level, then build on that. With each successful step mastered, behavior gets better, until the tip – the behavior problem, simply dissipates.