[john70t]

I'm finally starting to enjoy my dog after 4.5 years.
Now he's 50lbs and 'good' but as a small pup he had serious ADD and would jet off randomly, bugger separated my shoulder a couple times. Larynx of iron.
He also would not accept me as alpha/boss/determiner and wouldn't even look me in the eye when scolded.
I was late in the game and it took extra effort to undo bad habits.

A couple things I/We worked a lot on:
1). Human is the leader when walking.
I pause stop and turn around, he is supposed to follow. That is the rule.
Humans enter and exit any door first! No push past!
Humans have control of any space.
But some dogs especially need to wander a bit while walking so I got a 15 ft leash which works for that beagle mix. He is more interested in smells and people than other dogs. I give him slack and try to listen.

2). Humans mean what they say the first time.
"Come here/leave it/quiet" are not questions to ponder. They are orders.

3). Special rules for crossing the street.
Heel close. Every. Single. Time. This took more than a year of intensive.
So less splatter and loss of aforementioned pet that way.

4). Dogs only understand positive reinforcement.
Good things work best. That's why they will wait for months and years for their human to return. They will bring back food without touching it. They want that good praise or treat. All dogs are motivated differently to respond differently to praise vs food.
Negative reinforcement does not compute past a very very limited point. Beating dead horse etc. It just does not compute. Their brains work differently.

5). Dogs will always challenge but mostly in a good way.

6). A good dog is a tired dog.
Wear them out..then teach the lesson. Give them praise when quiet and doing the right thing.
This is the most important thing to remember.