If attention is the Mother of all behavior—and it is!—then calmness is the Father. We need both in order to get the best behavior from our dogs. You may be surprised how easily problems improve or actually disappear when your dog feels calmer and can focus on what you are asking for, , , , 

Is it always a good idea to ask your dog to Sit? I say Yes when it’s about getting a polite behavior before granting access to something he wants. However, if your dog’s behavior is spiraling out of control and you’re thinking that a Sit is going to calm him down, then No. 

Your dog’s mental state is the key to being able to (1) hear you and (2) comply.

Many people are lured into using a piece of equipment or a technique that’s aversive. If an electronic collar, for example, actually works as advertised to stop excessive barking, jumping up, leash pulling, or lunging and doesn’t really hurt the dog, what’s so wrong with using it?