[yorkietalkjilly]

Because of my back situation, Tibbe is very mostly under-socialized in that I can't take him out and about a lot so I realized early on when I got him that the only way I could ever keep this door-darting, opinionated, feisty wild-child in check was to train him to respond to me and learn to love doing it. He does love people and other dogs and cats, though, even though we don't get out to the dog park and many social occasions. He's a little hesitant to let people get that close to him though unless I'm nearby and then it's full ahead joy for him. Still, I positively reinforce almost everything he does involving a command or request I give him. I sometimes practically kill myself over-reacting, dancing around, etc., and always giving him immediate positive feedback when he obeys so that the payoff is immediate and gratifying for him, even when just coming in the house from going out to potty or standing still to be brushed. Not always but often he gets lots of hand-clapping, fist-pumping, jumping about, speaking in a squeaky little voice and smiling and petting/stroking, getting in his face and telling him what a gooood boy he is, how smart he is and giving him a treat and it all serves to make him happy to make me happy as that makes him so happy that he just did what I asked of him. And the training and watching him get so much out of the learning and doing and praising makes him crazy happy and proud, so it's impossible not to enjoy his training, even on my bad days. But it does pay off with a usually well-behaved little guy.