At what age should my dog be learning each skill?

My dog perfectly performs this skill at home, but it's like he knows nothing when I go to a new spot. What do I do?

My dog was amazing at the trainer, but now, she acts like she doesn't know how to retrieve.

How do I know when my dog is ready to move on to the next skill?

You may be asking yourself some of these questions. Surprisingly, your dog doesn't need to learn a specific skill by a specific age. It needs to learn according to the 4 Phases of Learning. Think of these as dog training stages. These stages of learning will also answer questions on why your pup may do well in one place but not in another place. 

4 Phases of Learning

One of the key things we have learned since we began dog training is understanding what phase of learning our dog is in. To retrieve in any scenario, your dog will need to work through each phase of learning with each skill that you teach it. Knowing what phase our dog is in connects...