“You’re the one that wanted a big dog. So if you don’t get him under control, I’m sending him to the farm.“  I didn’t ask what my wife meant by “the farm.” But she was mad. Balou, our 6-year-old lab, had unleashed a shockingly large stream of urine on our dining room drapes.

Desperate, I hired the “Sit Means Sit” dog trainers out of Douglasville. Not only did they get Balou in line, but they had some lessons in how to improve your communication skills.

Lesson 1: Keep the attention focused on the challenge