I thought I would start this blog out with some questions about some common and some not so common problems and concerns of dog owners. Read through them because it is likely that you are dealing with one or more of these issues.

Question: My Run-Away Poodle

“I have a small toy Poodle - she is 3 years old. She has never given me any real problems – except one - If the front door is open and I'm not watching, she's gone like a flash! When she's in the backyard, she comes to me when I call. But whenever she has a chance to run through that front door though, she acts like she's never heard the words 'come here'. Any suggestions? I'm afraid she'll get run over by a car and I don't want to keep her confined.”

Answer: Obedience Classes

In your question you used the words “come here” which indicates that you have not put your dog through an obedience class. That would be my first recommendation, since your dog will be taught what the requirements of the command “stay” mean. Without that word being a part of your dog's vocabulary, you're operating with a tremendous handicap. The word stay can be considered as the stalk upon which all the blossoms of true obedience will grow.

Question: What can I do - my dog is always digging in the trash - he seems to love tissues!

“My Doberman is constantly digging through our trash - this includes wastepaper baskets. He seems to have a fetish for tissues because he ignores everything else. But it doesn't stop with the trash, he even takes tissues out the box or anywhere else they happen to be. If I leave the house, I come back and find my living room looking like the city dump. Can you tell me why and what I can do about it?”

Answer: Get Some Balloons

You didn't provide the age of your dog and that certainly restricts the alternatives. Training techniques for puppies are not the same as techniques used on juveniles (dogs six months to a year) and the training techniques for juveniles are not the same as used for a mature dog.

I need to know a lot more about the personality of your dog, but meanwhile, may I suggest that you buy a package of balloons. Sit down in the middle of your living room floor, and begin blowing up a balloon. Your curious dog will come over to see what these new “things” are.

Pop one balloon, then blow up another. Pop the second, third and fourth. Make sure your dog understands that balloons pop and make a loud noise. Then place a balloon in every spot where you have tissues. Put one in the tissue box, a couple in the waste basket, and even on in the ashtray if there is a tissue in it. He'll get the message, and fast!

This technique works well - not only for tissues but it can be used with shoes or anything else your dog seems inappropriately interested in.