Let me guess: your “down stay” isn’t much of a stay. It’s more of a suggestion. You walk away, your dog pops up and shadows you like you’re attached by an invisible leash. This is a common mistake. I made it early in my career too, and honestly, I learned it from the obedience competition picture. In a trial, you put your dog in a down, then you march across a field the size of a football stadium. You call them, they sprint back with laser focus, then snap into heel like they’re reporting for du