I bought a choke chain for Splash when she was little, only used it twice, after that she was as good as gold.  Mind you she did like to please most of the time, big soft brush, so she was an easy dog to train.  She only had two faults, well three if you count being picked on by the kitties.  When she was left alone she would empty the contents out of the waste paper bin.  She didn't do anything with them, just emptied the bin.  Of course I scolded her, but it didn't seem to make one jot of difference.  Then I happened to read about reverse psychology, sooo the next time I didn't say anything, just picked up the bits and ignored her.  I only had to pick bits up once more after that, ignored her again, from then on she didn't bother.  Obviously an attention seeking thing.

Her other fault, if one can call it a fault.  When she was very little I wouldn't allow her to jump up at people.  She wasn't a great big dog, but along with licking faces, it still isn't something I like.  However the little tyke went one better.  She used to run straight at people as though she was going to jump up, then veer off at the last second.  I spent over eleven years thinking that 'this time' she was going to disgrace herself.  Bless her she never did, but by heck she frightened the **** out of me many a time.  It is over nineteen years since she crossed over the rainbow bridge, but I still remember all the things she used to get up to.  Not sure what breed she was, one of those Heinz 57 things, but there was obviously a spot of greyhound in there somewhere.  We had bought her as a form of burglar alarm when we lived on the farm.  Fine if the burglar had been wearing a crash helmet, she went ballistic over those, otherwise she would have invited the burglar in to watch the telly.  Actually she was a big coward, especially where dogs larger than herself were concerned.  Our big ginger and white kitty (Jinks) wasn't, he soon sorted out the farm dogs and any others that came his way, the bigger the better where he was concerned.

Roz
GSOLFOT