The Leader of the Pack

Miss Sadie went with us on our trip to Buffalo yesterday and she was as good as gold. She loves to ride and as long as she is with us she is content. Of course, she had to stay in the truck while we had lunch at the Cheesecake factory and stopped at Borders. I bought a book on dog training called, “Be the leader of the Pack”. I realized that I had done all the wrong things with Sadie. I let her think that she ruled me…well, she did. She told me when she wanted to play, what toy she wanted, when she wanted to go out, when she wanted to eat, and so on. I spoiled her into thinking that she was the boss. Boy did this book set me straight.
   First of all it said that I had the right to do things without her interference. When I tried to use the computer she jumped up on me and barked demanding attention. When I didn’t give it to her she found some trouble to get into. It also said that she didn’t have to be in everyone’s business all the time. I had let her nose around everything that I did. And she shouldn’t sit higher than me. I let her sleep above me on the back of the couch.
   So it seemed that I had done just about everything wrong when it came to training Sadie. So starting yesterday I decided to take the leader role. First I didn’t give her so much attention. I ignored her pleas to play tug (a game they don’t recommend because the dog thinks that you are it’s equal) and just threw the frisbee outside with her. Something must have worked because today she has been laying around and sleeping all day….or it could have something to do with the lousy, rainy weather. Wish me luck in my new mode of training.