Friend's spoiled Lab a real test of guests' patience

ASK DOG LADY | Is there subtle way to point out dog's bad behavior?

Dear Dog Lady: A best friend has a very poorly behaved dog, Cajun. The giant Lab jumps on us when we arrive and always has his head in our laps at the dinner table looking for scraps. It doesn't help that my friend feeds her dog our leftovers by letting him lick off the dinner plates. Is there anything to be done by the guests to deal with the dog? Or can we suggest something to our friend?

Emmy, Lincoln Park

Dear Emmy: There's a plethora of Band-Aid solutions, but none of them is particularly pleasant. You could confront your friend about ragin' Cajun's behavior. You could make a fuss when you visit. You could turn down all invitations. You could whine about and criticize the dog when visiting. Do any of these solutions work for you? Probably not. If you care about your friend, you will grin and bear it. Your friend needs to realize on her own that her dog's manners need fixing.

Friends don't let friends drive drunk. But they have little control over other friends' misbehaving dogs, children or partners. There's nothing you can do about the annoying Lab except to endure any visit with a plastered smile -- and clothes that stand up to Cajun's dirty paws. Oh sure, you might mention something if you and your friend ever have a quiet moment away from the dog, but all counsel should be lighthearted, not dictatorial. You might also suggest everybody go to a restaurant to avoid the dog.

Dear Dog Lady: I simply love your column. Thank you so much for all the very helpful info you've sent this canine companion's way.

While growing up, a neighbor of ours trained her dog to go in one specific small area in her backyard. How can I get my dog to do that, too?

Laura, Chicago

Dear Laura: It is possible to train your dog to go in a specific area but you must have endurance. Whenever you receive signals your dog needs to go, put on the leash and take your pet to the sweet spot. Stand patiently. When and if your dog performs, go over the moon with praise and yummies. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And . . . you get the picture. With dogs, repetition is the mother of reinvention.

What's convenient for you, however, is not necessarily good for your dog. They love getting out into the world beyond the backyard. Make sure you provide decent rambles away from any enclosure.

Dear Dog Lady: When I evaluate (TV dog trainer) Cesar Millan's philosophy, it comes down to a few very simple things. The one I agree with the most is that dogs need structured walks every day, sometimes multiple times a day. My dogs get out enough to "play" as well as sniff, see, search, etc. But I also walk them for at least 40 minutes daily (they are 9 pounds each, so that seems to be a good amount) to allow them to work off their energy. What can be done to educate dog owners about how cruel it is not to walk your dog daily? A large percentage of bad behaviors would go away if they walked their dogs (or hired someone to walk them at least an hour a day. P.S. I'm not a professional dog walker).

Michael, Chicago

Dear Michael: Dog walks are as healthy for humans as for dogs. Dog Lady recently bought a pedometer to clock her mileage when out with darling. And, wow, she's putting on miles -- in a good way.

Dog dilemmas? People/dog indelicacies. Write doglady@askdoglady.com.