Every dog is unique. I would appreciate having time with the dog's family in any dog's presence to establish myself as "friend" and to discuss any pup specific characteristics before I am alone with your family member. A short, maybe half hour, session would allow me to become familiar with a dog and to discuss any idiosyncrasies that would be important.

I enjoy walking dogs around their own neighborhood or finding dog friendly parks if the local streets are not conducive. For more energetic dogs I enjoy teaching them to "walk next to a bicycle" (would discuss this at length before training it). The act of walking a dog promotes a healthy respect and relationship while simultaneously stimulating a dog's mind. If the opportunity is available I would suggest off leash (fenced in) whistle training to reinforce the most important command, recall. If your dog is toy motivated than encouraging fetch is a wonderful past time.