by W.C. Klein

Created on: November 29, 2008   Last Updated: December 23, 2008

"Weiner ! C'mon Weiner!"

There is nothing more disturbing than seeing the neighbor's wife in the morning walking down the road in a snowstorm looking confused and very irritated. She wore her purple housecoat and fuzzy yellow slippers which accentuated the pink, spongy rollers in her wet hair. She kept screaming for her disobedient dachshund at the top of her lungs.

"Weiner! Here Weiner!"

This is a common problem for pet owners and becomes very frustrating. This behavior could be dangerous to you, your neighbors and your pet. Start out with simple exercises and when your dog learns the basics it will be much easier to train them in the future. To avoid becoming one of these neighbors, use these training tips to help you out.

Start by eliminating all distractions by going to a quiet room. Now with you and your dog alone there, it will make it easier. Approach your dog and tell him to sit (or make him), then facing them take a few steps backwards. If the dog starts to walk toward you stop them, take them back to the original spot, and then continue backing away. Repeat this until you get them to stay.

Once they calmly sit and stay is when you should state their name followed by a command. As soon as he starts to walk toward you begin to verbally praise them. When they come to you immediately reward them with a treat. Do this five to six times in a row on a daily basis. Continue this same method for a few weeks and as they begin to catch on walk a little farther away from them each time. Soon you will be able to call your dog from any distance and they will automatically come right back to you.

The best way to keep everyone happy (especially your wife!) and safe is to take a little time out of your day to work with your dog. The benefits of training are numerous and set the stage for more training in the future. Hope this helped you and good luck! Please remember to pass this information on to someone else who needs it. Oh, also don't mention anything about this to my neighbor's wife, he's getting her a curling iron and a new pair of fuzzy purple slippers for Christmas and we don't want to blow the surprise!

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