Ignoring your commands, refusing to walk calmly on a leash, barking continually for attention, jumping up on people. Do any of these behavior problems describe your dog? Don't worry. Help is possible, especially if your canine companion is still just a puppy! These behaviors indicate a problem of training and often boredom.

Give meaningful commands. In order to gain control, you must enforce your commands. For example, if you tell a dog to "sit" and he doesn't do it, you must make him do it by calmly pushing down his hind end. It's easier to just keep screaming the command repeatedly louder, but that just makes you look silly! Besides, heard you the first time; remember, dogs have a great sense of hearing. Keep the commands simple (one word-not a paragraph). Once your commands have meaning you can use them to distract the dog from unruly behavior. If he is running away, you should be able to say "sit" and have him drop.

Reward desired behavior and ignore undesired behavior. When dogs exhibit poor behavior (pawing, barking, jumping-up) they are trying to get attention. If you give a pat or treat to stop the behavior the dog sees this as a reward and thus the bad behavior is reinforced, not discouraged. Alternatively, reprimands and punishment are also a form of attention and can reinforce the bad behavior as well. The appropriate response is to wait until the dog is quiet (the behavior you desire), then give him the attention he desires.

Try to establish dominance over your dog when it's still a puppy. Have sessions with your puppy where you hold him in your arms "belly-up". Do not let him struggle free and look directly into his eyes. This will reinforce your authority before he gets older and bigger problems arise. This is particularly important for a puppy that shows early signs of dominance aggression like continually mouthing your hands or resisting your touching his paws, ears, or mouth. Frequent and vigorous exercise and training sessions as a young adult dog also help.

If all else fails, change your tools. Head halters are a great way to gain control in a humane and effective manner. They attach to a dog's head the same way a halter is used on a horse and offer superior control to choke/spike collars. Books and obedience classes always help. A series of free instructional handouts on a variety of behavioral problems and solutions is available at our office.