Don't allow him to beg for food. Doing this gives him impression that it's okay to whine to get what he wants.

It's not.

If and when a dog should bite you, and you have had this dog and don't believe him to be wild or sick, then you have to take action to ensure he knows that it will not be accepted. (If there is any indication of disorientation of your dog at this time, call a vet. Dogs can bite if they are sick, hurt or scared. You should seek professional advice.)

Appropriate action would not be to scold or hit dog but rather to grab his head firmly, not in anger or rage but in calm control, and bite him on ear. Don't try to break skin or really hurt dog. You are just making a point here that you are leader and he needs to respect you.

It is also highly recommended that you train your dog to walk with you on a leash, at your heel level. This puts dog in an active submissive role on a regular basis and helps you to enforce that you are boss.

I would suggest getting a book or training video to get more details on topic, or research dog forums for advice from other owners who prefer to train themselves and not send their dogs to obedience school.

Remember that if you want to be top dog, you have to take control. Leadership is essential in a dog's life. You are one who gets to choose who that leader is.

About the Author:

Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.

Two of her sons, however, were not so fortunate. See, two years ago Sadie had a litter of 7 pups, which we did not intend to keep. We already had four dogs and didn't need any more.

We cared for pups though and watched them grow each day. My husband and I would swap stories about cute little things they did.

The dogs all looked so much alike that we found it confusing to talk about them without names. Eventually, names started emerging on their own.

For example, there was one brown dog in mix. (How he got this color and look is a mystery.) So we called him Brownie. Not cleverest of names, but it helped us identify him.

Next there was Tipper and Bubba, who we ended up keeping. Tipper has a tiny patch of white on tips of his front paws... hence name "Tipper."

Bubba, as his name might suggest, is a big brute. He's biggest and meanest of litter.

But, if we knew we were going to keep these guys, we might have gone a different route in choosing a dog name. Bubba doesn't exactly say, "Son of a princess," but his attitude definitely does.

So here are some examples of different ways a dog name can make a difference.

My advice? Think about all times you'll use name. Find out a little about who your dog is before giving him a name. And, think of yourself 10 years older than you are now... will you still like to say that name and think... I chose that?

About the Author:

Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.