I get calls all the time inquiring about how to bond with a new dog or how to correct a specific behavior and I think the one thing I tell people that always seems to take them by surprise is to go back to the basics. If you have never gone through a basic training class with me, let me explain why this would be my suggestion.
In my basic obedience class I focus on building a relationship between you and your dog, the first step to this is feeding your dog by hand and their food becomes the rewards they will work for. The commands you learn are sit, down, stay, recall and loose leash walking. Again, all the basics, but if your dog can focus on you for all of these, they will be able to focus on you for so much more.
Basic obedience is important to have basic control of your dog, it also allows you to communicate effectively with your dog and have special one on one work time together. I tell all my clients that they should look at training time as their quality time with their dog. This doesn't have to be work, it should be fun and your dog should have fun too.
