You are helpless as you watch your 2-year-old dog repeatedly steal a tennis ball from a Labrador Retriever and his person while they are trying to enjoy a nice day at the park.

You apologize, go through the social gestures of telling your dog that he is “being bad” and you sheepishly walk him to the other side of the park, only to see him race after the ball and do it again. You leave well before you planned on leaving, but you don’t want to face the wrath of the seemingly nice person, and would not blame him if he blew up after the tenth time of your dog’s thievery.

Does your dog love your Christmas tree or other holiday decorations? If there is any chance of chewing or destruction, it is a great idea to work on Perimeter Training. You can teach your dog to stay away from a location, or do not go past a specific perimeter.