Problems with Leadership, Counter Thieving or House Training?

TRY A WAIST LEASH!

Does your dog run the house? Ignore you? Butt in where he doesn't belong? Harrass other pets or people? Increase your communication and bond with a "no freedom" living arrangement for a few days (or a few weeks, depending on the temperament of the teenager with whom you are living.) It may be a royal pain in the neck at first, but he'll "go with the flow" after a day or two. If he's not in his crate, he's leashed to your belt. You will be able to reward all the good choices he makes the instant he makes them, and you will prevent any opportunities to engage in self-rewarding behavior.

Bottom line, where ever you go, he goes. If you sit down, he settles next to you. If you go to the bathroom, he goes, too. If you work in the kitchen, sit at the computer, go get the mail, so does your dog. No need to ask the dog to follow you. "Let's go to the kitchen" - and go. Any foolishness or protest at the end of the leash is ignored. (Apply Bitter Apple to the lead if your dog chews it.)

He must learn to Settle when ever you do. Remember to reward calmly when the dog settles at your feet. Always pay attention to behavior you DO want, especially when it is calm and polite! Watching TV or reading a book? Give him a stuffed Kong toy or special chewie to occupy his down time.

Counter thief? At the end of a leash there can be no snatch and run. At the first sign that the dog is ABOUT TO leap onto the counter, body block (step between the dog and counter) or step away suddenly, so there isn't enough leash to be successful. Repeat, repeat, repeat until the dog no longer bothers to try. They are YOUR counters. His face does not belong there.

The most important part of house training is supervision. At the end of your waistleash, if your pup gets "antsy" like he needs to go out, you are going to see him. No chance for "accidents"! You will see the smallest signs of urgency and can be pro-active in getting him out in time and pre-empt and redirect anything in mid stream. (If it seems that your dog is urinating frequently and in small amounts, I'd take a urine sample in to the vet to make sure he doesn't have a bladder infection. It's a common reason that previously reliable dogs have repeated accidents.)

Work to earn! If your dog wants something, ask him to "sit" - this includes petting - every time he wants something, until it becomes a habit.

"Sit" means "Please!"

"Mother, may I?" The other bonus to waistleashing - it increases leadership. Your dog is reliant on watching you for direction all the time. You are in a position to see what the dog wants and ask him to do something and give him permission to have it. Ask him to sit before he gets to eat or go through doors, he'll learn to sit and give eye contact whenever he needs something instead of grabbing it.

Once the pattern of "sit if you want something" is in place, you can simply stop and wait silently for your dog to offer a sit without being asked. When this becomes habit, he will be a much more polite dog to live with!