A reader writes:
I recently bought a boxer puppy. We love him dearly. He is part of our family. I am having some trouble with Tucker (all of which is my fault). I am unsure of how to solve my problems. The problem is that I have three small children. My time is very limited. I am a stay at home mom, so the dog is not alone. That is not what I mean by having limited time. I mean that I am busy caring for my kids, and doing everything else a wife and mother does, and don’t have the time to go to obedience classes, or even set up a consistent training schedule for Tucker. I know he can become a well-behaved part of my family. He is not terrible now. My biggest problem seems to be separation anxiety. Please offer any help you can. I want my dog to be as happy with us as we are with him.
Thank you,
Amy.
P.S. I read your book, but I am still confused. Maybe that makes me a “Stupid is as Stupid does” owner, but I still think you can help me.
Dear Amy:
Did you read the section on Separation Anxiety? It’s pretty clear-cut and straight to the point article. If there is something that is still unclear that I can specifically help you with please let me know.
As for not having enough time to train you dog:
– Make him do down-stays while you feed the kids.
– Make him accompany you while you retrieve the mail.
– Let him ride in the back of the car when you run errands around town.
– Get him to do sit-stays while you change diapers.
– Play “Hide the ball” while you clean house.
– Find the dog a new home if you don’t feel you’ve got enough time for the dog. But I think you’d be amazed at how much you can achieve with only 15 minutes a day. The cumulative effect is amazing. Wake up 15 minutes early each day or you can work the training around every-day routines like I describe above.