Reduce, reuse, and train your dog

For those of you with a dog, you know the trials and tribulations of reliable recall (i.e. coming when called) from your four-legged-friend. If there's another pup or an interesting patch of grass to sniff, the chances of your dog coming to you the moment you call are pretty slim (at least they are in my case). But, as we recently learned in obedience class, all that can change the moment you bring high-quality treats into the mix! Seriously, give your dog something really special every time he comes to you, and you'll immediately see a difference in recall response time and enthusiasm level.
"What does this have to do with being YBG?" you might think. Well, there's no treat my puppy finds more special than people food...of any kind...we're talking everything from ribeye to corn to salad dressing. So these days, we've taken to putting all our inedible (from a human standpoint) leftovers into plastic bags and putting them in the fridge for future use with Wally (our dog). This means we spend a lot less on expensive, packaged doggie treats, and we have to take fewer trips to the compost bin (cause you're not throwing that organic refuse away, right? RIGHT???). An important note though: Not all human foods are dog-friendly. Chicken/fish bones and chocolate immediately spring to mind, so be mindful about what you give your pup.