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Probably one of the most difficult factors when one is raising a puppy is dealing with harsh winter weather. This year's warm temperatures have made the transition from "needs to be housetrained" to "housetrained" a fairly painless one – for both of us. I'm still asking Buddy about every half hour if he needs to go out, but he now understands that running toward the door will bring me to my feet quickly and jumping up and down in response to "do you want to go out?" works magically in opening the outside door. I have a friend who told me she taught her puppy to ring a bell to be let out. That's a clicker training technique and it certainly works well. First off, you want to get a clicker (they are available through Pet Therapy) and spend a few days working with the clicker and some treats. Each time you click, give Pal a treat (very small). Once Pal understands that the click means good things, then you can begin working toward ringing a bell. Get a bell you can hang on your doorknob. A cluster of Christmas jingle bells works well. Hold it in front of Pal's nose. When Pal touches it, click and give him a treat. Repeat 15 times each workout and try for 2 or 3 workouts per day. When Pal sees the bell he will automatically touch it with his nose after a little while to get the click/treat. Now when it's time to go outside, hold the bell in front of him, let him touch it, treat him and let him out. Once you've done this for a week or so, hang the bell on the doorknob and keep your ears pealed for the sound of ringing bells – nope – not love, just puppy asking to go out!! I chose not to teach this technique because I'm often in a part of the house that would not allow me to hear the bells, so I'm better off to have puppy with me and ask him once in a while if he needs to go out. The bell ringing works, however, and is worth a try. I want to take a minute and talk about bonding. Your relationship with your dog is worth everything. If you have a strong bond made up of mutual respect, trust and reliance, you can literally do anything with your dog and it will be met with co-operation. If you believe your relationship with Pal could do with a little reinforcement, try this. Put Pal's food dish away for a couple of weeks. Feed him the same amount he gets each meal, but each morsel is fed to him by you. You'll be amazed at how much the come when called improves. Don't be afraid to try new and different techniques. Always ask yourself two things: Will it be logical from Pal's point of view (not yours – his) and is it humane? If so – go for it!! It's also important to remember that there is no magic to dog training, just
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