All of what follows is stolen directly from Chris Fraize. It's an old idea but he puts it into terms that are very understandable.
This is interesting. I would like to see better obedience on top of good manners. Demo- So just like NILIF in the house you use the same for outside?
Basically, yes. Instead of calling it NILIF I just call it "work". What are the things your dog likes? Mine likes tug, food, and verbal/physical praise. If he wants those things he has to earn them though work. Want a tug bite? Earn it though obedience. Want a meal? Earn it though obedience. Want me to pet you? Earn it... I don't pay the dog without making him earn it first. And he doesn't earn it by offering behaviors that I didn't ask for. If I command a down then he won't get paid if he sits. Would you work hard at your job if you got a paycheck no matter what? So why should you expect your dog to do what you want when he knows he's going to get paid anyway?
Pretty soon the dog learns that (1) all good things come from me and (2) good things only come with work. This creates a dog that lives to work.
Im feeling ignored outside as well as in our training class.
Have you truly motivated the dog to want to pay attention to you? If so, do you allow the dog to choose to ignore you without consequences? If either of these can be answered "yes", then the dog is going to ignore you whenever he wants.
I motivate the hell out of the dog to want to pay attention to me. However, sooner or later he's going to decide there's something more fun out there than what Dad has to offer. That's when a correction comes into play. As soon as the dog gets it right, he gets a little paycheck (but not the whole thing). Basically I string him along until the end of the session and when he gives me what I want he gets the big check.
Demo Dick
"My first priority will be to reinstate the assault weapons ban PERMANENTLY as soon as I take office...I intend to work with Congress on a national no carry law, 1 gun a month purchase limits, and bans on all semi-automatic guns."-Barack Obama
"When in doubt, whip it out."-Nuge