Three steps to a successful partnership

Confine, exercise, and train your dog for a successful lifelong partnership.

1. CONFINE. Place your dog in a crate or exercise pen when you cannot supervise him or when you would like to relax. Cover the crate with a sheet or blanket. Ignore barking and crying.
Dogs are less fussy in crates if they are exercised before they go in them and if they are given something to chew on.

2. EXERCISE. Take your dog out of the house and walk and run him at least once daily. Young dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise to be fit and happy. When dogs are not sufficiently exercised, they bark, whine, chew, and get underfoot.

3. TRAIN. Instead of feeding your dog his food out of the bowl, use some of it for daily training. Ask your dog to Sit for a piece of kibble or treat many times per day. Other commands to try are Down, Leave it, Stay, Wait, and Come.

Training engages your dog’s brain and will help him develop emotionally and intellectually. Like people, dogs enjoy learning throughout their lives.

Reminders:

* A tired dog is a happy dog.
* A dog that has learned how to learn will learn new skills quickly.
* A dog in a crate cannot chew up your shoes.