Yes, you are in charge. But being a leader comes with it’s responsibilities. You must be consistent--and you must be fair. Dogs have needs which you may not understand or may not want to tolerate. But realistically a dog is gonna bark, he’s gonna sniff, and he’s gonna chew. It’s your responsibility to tell him when, what and where.

Dogs bark for different reasons. For attention, out of boredom, as a warning, to name a few. Teach your dog what quiet means first. You allow him to bark a bit when there’s a reason, but then you get to say when to stop! For attention barking...say nothing, just walk away and ignore him.

Dogs must chew their whole lives. But perhaps your living room couch is not the proper chew toy. Flesh and bone is an appropriate alternative. You should make sure you have plenty of real chews: bully sticks, cow’s ears, trachea, knuckle bones, etc. and if your dog is chewing something you don’t want him to chew, re-direct him to a more appropriate chew.

Dogs love to sniff. That’s what the whole “going for a walk” thing is about. You want to allow your dog to enjoy himself and check out what his other doggie friends have been up to (pee-mail). Make sure you take the time to teach your dog the correct way to walk with you, without pulling. And when you see a nice patch of grass coming up, give him the command to “go sniff.” After walking nicely on a loose leash with you, he’s earned it!