After a weekend in the country, where my dog Sidney behaved like a schizophrenic on leave from the institution, I realized it was time to re-visit his doggie training. Sid is two years old and his training effectively stopped when he learned to use the outside toilet. I thought I was going to have to enlist the help of a professional. Luckily my friend Ryan came to stay with us this weekend and he gave me a few lessons in calm, assertive energy. 

1) Always walk your dog on the same side of you, so that they learn where they belong.

2) Stop at streets and make your dog sit. Then step out and make sure the coast is clear. This is so that puppy sees you have his back and he don’t need to worry so much!

3) If your puppy pulls on his leash walk him up and down along a wall so that he has nowhere to go and so he learns to walk straight. 

4)Never let your puppy go in the door before you do.

Because Sidney only weighs 12 Lbs and often resembles a live-action teddy bear, I sometimes forget that he is a doggie and wants me to be his master. I am starting to find something Zen in the art of training him. Patience has never been my middle name. Maybe by teaching Sid proper puppy behavior, I will teach myself a thing or two as well.