Dogs are den animals; they do not soil their sleeping and eating areas. This trait has been passed down to your domesticated dog by their distant relative, the wolf. We are going to use this characteristic to housebreak your puppy. Anytime you can train your dog or puppy using their language instead of trying to make them learn yours the process will go 100 percent easier, making the whole experience more enjoyable for both you and the pup.

Some people think that putting a puppy in a crate is cruel. I personally feel it is worse to come home to a mess and possibly scold your pup who was so looking forward to your return and has no idea why you are so angry.

Puppies learn from their mother not to soil their beds. When you buy the crate you can purchase one to fit your pup now or one to fit when the pup will be older. You want the crate to be just big enough for the pup to stand, turn around comfortably, and to lay down without being totally cramped. Not too big though; You don’t want him to have enough room to move from his sleeping area to an empty spot where he can go to the bathroom inside the crate.

Place the crate where you intend for it to stay, If you place the crate too close to the door the pup could get cold. So try to keep in a area where it's not drafty. The bottom of the crate should not get cold or hot as well, making the pup uncomfortable. Once I placed my crate to close to the outside door and the pup was cold. He let me know by howling quite loudly till I came and moved it to a warmer area.

For now on we are going to call the crate "your room". This will take some of the edge off. Some people will gasp at your audacity do this, but remember none of these people will be there to offer to clean up your puppy's messes either.

Place the pup in the crate saying "go to your room" --I usually throw a couple dog treats in--. If you decide that pup should have something to lay on I suggest a towel or something easy to clean. Keep in mind the pup is still a baby and the crate is not a magical cure. The pup is going to have a few accidents. How many depends on how fast he catches on and how diligent you are at training.

When you let the pup out of the crate, take him outside immediately. Use the same door all the time and take to him to the same spot where you want him to go to the bathroom.

When you see pup doing his duty give a command "Hurry up", or whatever you want to use, I say "hurry up" it sounds better then "potty now!" Reward pup with a pat on the head or rubbing TOP of muzzle. All a dog really wants is your praise. You can use food as a reward if you like. Since I don't like carrying dog biscuits in my pocket all the time, I rarely use food for reward.

I place pup in "their room" at night, anytime I leave the house, and when I have guests that don't particularly enjoy my pets as much as I do. If I am going to be gone long periods I place a water bottle designed for rabbits outside the door and throw some dog cookies and a few chew toys inside the crate. It is not necessary to leave a bowl of food in the crate. They won't go hungry in 9 hours and no need to fill their stomachs making it harder to wait your arrival to relieve themselves. I wouldn't leave them any longer then that any way.

Puppies sleep 80% of the time while your gone. Their metabolism is much higher then ours. But pup is going to be well rested when you get home and will want to play. Don't forget every time you remove from "their room" immediately go outside with pup! If you have a regular schedule this will go easier and faster. Pup will come to know when he's going outside and will learn to hold it.

If your lifestyle is not on a schedule this will still work. You just might have a few accidents. If it takes to long, good news is accidents are in the crate not on your carpet or floor.

It's very important that when pup is in "their room" no one should be allowed to bother them. This gives the pup a rest area to go to when he doesn’t feel like playing or he wants quiet time. This will help in raising a pup that will be less nervous.

Kids will be kids, but they need to learn how to love and respect the puppy, it don't just happen. The crate provides a safe haven for the pup till the kids learn not to pull it's tail or ears. It also helps to teach the children to respect the pup as a living being as well.

Leads or Leashes: The ideal training lead will be one that is six feet long, made of soft but strong leather, not very thick and one that is sewn or braided (not riveted which causes a weak point). When maintained with quality leather preservatives such as saddle soap and oils, it will give you years of useful life. If leather is not desired, my next choice would be cotton. The six foot length provides you with the most practical length for most training exercises. Chain leashes are useless for training; it is too difficult to hold a chain leash and be able to move with it during training exercises. Nylon leashes can slip through your hands at the wrong moment and can also give you an awful burn if the dog pulls too hard and you lose your grip.

Chain Collars: Notice we do not call them "choke" collars because you should not choke dogs with one. A proper leash correction; a snap or check, causes the moving chain to make a sound. This is often referred to as the "correction". Proper technique is key here and a good instructor/trainer can show you the right way to do it. There are good chain collars and there are cheap ones and it pays to invest a few extra dollars in the best. The best I have found are the ones imported from Germany. The words "HS Germany" for Herm Springer, will always be engraved on one of the rings. These collars are made from the finest steel and will last a lifetime in most cases. The important part of these collars are the links. They are finely polished and move easily.

Do not place any tags on your chain collar as they may impede the chain's movement when training. Tags should go on a flat nylon or leather collar below the chain on your dog's neck. Chain collars work best when used high on the neck, behind the ears. The collar should fit snugly over your dog's neck with a few inches available when tightened. As you face your dog, the collar should form the letter "P" as it goes over the neck if the dog is to be walked on your left side. This will assure proper release when checked.

I started teaching my dogs to heel the day I put a leash and collar on their neck. I simply never allowed the puppy or dog to walk ahead of me. I keep their shoulder blade even with my leg while walking at all times; this allows me to have more control over them especially when walking in a public area. Communication is a keyword here; always talk to your dog or puppy like you expect him to behave, NOT like you are grateful when he does! The tone of your voice is the most valuable asset to your training - don't ask your dog to do as you want; TELL them to do it. This does not mean that you have to yell, it just means to speak with authority since you are top dog and your dog expects you to act like it.

This is a training problem, not a behavior problem so to speak. When a dog feels a leash, or worse, a harness restraining him, he will naturally pull harder. This is the same behavior draft animals exhibit. You will need to teach your dog to "Heel", that is, to walk at your heel, keeping pace with you and to sit when you stop and wait. A few lessons will have your dog walking with you (not walking you) in no time!

I make my dogs sit at my side everytime I stop, either to cross a road, to talk to someone, or whatever. This is very easy to teach especially to a puppy. Simply pull up on leash while gently pushing his bottom to a sitting position, telling him to sit, then praising him. (never pet under chin,this is how a wolf pup begs for food from alpha dog! instead rub the top of his nose.)I give the command to puppy everytime he sits, even when its his own idea. Most importantly - be consistent!! This is very, very important!

Barking Dogs are natural warning devices. However, barking should stop when the dog is commanded to do so. In addition, when you are not at home their barking can be quite annoying to others. For this reason, we need to control the behavior when possible.

The best way to stop a behavior from recurring is to associate it with a negative reinforcement. Effective negative reinforcements vary from dog to dog and may depend upon many factors including breed, age, device, timing and more. Some of the methods I use include my voice, a soda can filled with pennies, a squirt of water, or a leash check, just to name a few.

When the dog barks say "Quiet!" or any word you can associate with being quiet and one you will remember to use every time, in an authoritative voice. This command means to stop barking. If the dog barks again, use the negative reinforcer (throw the can to the floor near the dog or snap the leash, please don't hit him with the can as this will not accomplish anything but scaring the beejeebies outta him) and repeat the command "Quiet!". If the dog stops barking, praise him.

Behaviors when you are not home are the most difficult to control. Keep the dog in a crate in the house if he is not yet house trained. Play a talk radio station in another room so that the dog will not feel he is alone. When it is time for you to leave, just leave do not make a big deal of it or every time you leave pup will make a big deal of it also.. Drape the crate with a towel to limit sensory stimuli if necessary. Also leave interesting toys for the dog to play with.

Digging To do this you must supervise your dog in the yard, either with you out there or while watching through a window. When your dog begins to dig, you must interrupt the behavior with something the dog will want to avoid; a loud noise, your voice, or a soaking with a hose. I have to admit though I have my dogs in an outside kennel and on the inside of fence bottom I have it lined with huge rocks to keep them from digging out, just in case. I don't want them running loose even by accident.

To begin with, submissive urination is not a house training problem. It is caused by a weak bladder when the dog is excited or frightened; this is why it is seen most often in younger dogs. Submissive urination occurs in both male and female dogs, but is more common in females. The scenario usually goes like this: You come home from work and your puppy is happy to see you. You reach down and greet your puppy and she squats and urinates. She is unaware of what is taking place and her tail is smearing it all over. You yell "No!"; she then becomes frightened since your mood changed so suddenly, and urinates more. If this keeps up, she may begin to urinate when she hears you arrive in anticipation of being yelled at. So what can you do about it?

The next time you arrive home, walk in and ignore your dog like he or she was not there. Do not make eye contact. Take a few minutes to allow the dog to settle down. Next lower your hand and let your dog smell it or lick it. Finally, squat down and greet your dog at the dogs level, remembering not to get too excited. Greeting your dog in a lower position is less intimidating.

Food guarding is a common problem encountered by canine behaviorists. This is not surprising since canines are going to protect their food; their ancestors needed to protect their food in order to survive in the wild (or even from pushy litter mates). If your puppy learned to growl or snap at his litter mates in order to get any or the most food, he is simply carrying on this early learning behavior with his human family. If the owner smacks the dog for this behavior or takes the food away, this will in some cases confirm his need to guard his food.

Typically, any food guarding that is challenged once the dog has possession is likely to increase his defensive behavior and become more dangerous. If your pup learns that aggression wins over food, he may later begin to try this tactic with other things like trophy possessions or space on his favorite couch.

The method of choice for solving this problem is to first put the behavior under stimulus control.call your dog to you and make him sit. When he does, immediately give him a food treat and say "Take it" at the same moment. Soon a conditioned response will be established. If the dog snaps too hard at the treat say "Gentle!" in a harsh voice and try to withhold it until the dog takes it gently. Be sure to praise with a warm "Good". Next, begin to delay the treat a few seconds. If the dog jumps to get the treat, simply close your hand and give the instructive reprimand "Off" Soon the dog should learn that the owner has the right to control the small, quickly consumable treats. This can later be expanded to the treat being offered in the food bowl.

There is one thing for sure - dogs beg because they receive reinforcement for doing so; it only takes once or twice to start the habit. People food is a great motivater. Another thing that is for sure is that dogs who are constantly fed at the table gets fat, less mobile and usually die younger than dogs who aren't fed at the table. The fact is, dogs who eat premium food get better nutrition than most potato chip eating, beer drinking humans. I prefer the Diamonds dog foods, you can e-mail them to find out where the nearest place to find a distributer for their food is.

First, obedience train your dog. Be sure to teach the place command (to go to a mat and lie down) or at least the down-stay. Place your dog in a place or down-stay and eat dinner. He can watch. After dinner, release him and feed him his food in his bowl. Why feed him last? Well, if there were a pack of dogs in the woods and they killed a rabbit (poor bunny), who would eat first? If you answered, "The leader" you're correct. So why would you feed your dog first and make him think he is the leader? Sound silly? Not really; this is the way dogs think. Only offer food treats when your dog obeys a command you have given. And never feed them under the table! (unless of course you want your dog to make the rules of the house)

1. Plan Your Exit When it is time to leave, just leave. Do not say "Good bye" to your dog with hugs and kisses. In fact, ignore your dog for five minutes before you go. Paying too much attention will make your dog feel more insecure when the attention is abruptly withdrawn.

2. Confine Your Dog When You Are Away Confining your dog during your times of absence has two positive results. First, a dog who is confined to a carrier or crate cannot do damage to your home. Secondly, a crate, when properly introduced, will act as a safe, comfortable den where the dog can relax. Limiting his movement also acts as an anxiety reducer for most dogs.

3. Leave the Radio On Tune a radio to a talk station, put it on in a room you are often in (the bedroom is usually a good choice) and close the door. The dog will hear the human voices from your room and may not feel so alone.

4. Practice This Training Routine With most dogs, the hardest time for them is immediately after you leave. Their anxious (and sometimes destructive) behavior occurs within the first hour after they are left alone. Leave your dog out of his crate, and leave. Come back in immediately. Greet your dog calmly. Tell him to sit. When he does, reinforce this behavior with a food treat he enjoys. Wait a few minutes and then repeat this time stay outside a few seconds longer. just keep practising this till he learns it through the upcoming weeks some dogs learn faster then others so please be patient

5. Establish Your Leadership When a dog has a strong leader, it has a calming effect on him. He feels safe . In the absence of a strong leader, your dog feels obligated to assume that position in the social hierarchy of the family pack. Since a leader must control all that goes on, his inability to control your leaving causes him stress and anxiety.

6. Exercise Your Dog A dog who is lacking exercise is more likely to have stress and tension. Tiring a dog out with a long walk, run or with play goes a long way in reducing stress.

A puppy's urge to chew usually starts around teething time. it feels good to chew. Like many other behaviors, most owners do not mind if their dog chews appropriate chew toys such as bones, rawhide, hard rubber and the like. It is inappropriate chewing the rug, the furniture, your shoes; this is usually not appreciated. Dogs may chew when the are isolated and bored. They may also chew when they are anxious and under stress. If this chewing relieves the boredom or the stress, it will most likely be repeated again and again because it is self-reinforcing. You end up with a bad habit that is sometimes hard to break.

The best way to prevent inappropriate chewing is to exercise the dog, supervise him when he is out and about, and confine him to a kennel or crate when you are not watching him.

Your dog needs a variety of chew toys. Take half of them out one week and the put other half away. Rotate the group each week. In this way, your dog will not become bored and find new "toys" that may be yours. I provide a toy box for my dogs. They take toys out when they want to chew. I don't expect them to put them back though.

If you catch your puppy chewing an inappropriate object say, "No!... Chew Toy." and redirect the dog to an appropriate toy.

Remember, a puppy is a puppy for the first 12 to 18 months of life. When not supervised, puppy should be in the crate with a few toys. In this way, your belongings will stay intact and puppy will not be allowed to develop bad habits.

Mouthing (Play Biting) To stop biting, you must communicate to your puppy that you do not like this behavior. When puppy bites gently, you may allow this since puppies need to learn about bite inhibition; what hurts and what doesn't when it begins to hurt scream out "Ouch!", make firm eye contact, turn away and ignore the puppy. 15 seconds later, return your hand and see if he bites again. If so, repeat your response even louder. When your puppy finally licks your hand, praise him. Soon he will learn what makes you give attention and what results in a noise to avoid. This mimics what Mom did when her puppy was too rough.

To Stop Jumping on People who are Standing Have the person lift his or her knee when the dog jumps up and gently tap the dogs chest while saying "Off!" in a stern voice. As soon as the dog's paws are on the ground, change your voice tone to a happy one and say "Good!". Family members should train the dog first. Next, tell your guests that your dog is in training and ask them not to pet your dog or show any attention unless all paws are on the floor. When this happens, praise and pet the dog.

To Stop Jumping on People who are Seated It is difficult to lift your knee correctly when sitting. Instead, when the dog puts his paws up on you, grab them with both hands, squeeze them slightly and hold for a few seconds while saying "Off". Wait until the dog struggles to remove them and then let go. Be sure to praise when all paws are on the floor. Practice with your family members. Later have friends enter the house and practice with them. Remember the "Off!" command.

Step One: As your dog walks toward another dog, correct the dog with a leash-check or other form of negative reinforcement at the exact moment the dog displays aggression. Timing here is important because a correction after the aggression begins may cause further stimulation. Say "Leave-It!" and continue walking.

Step Two: As your dog walks toward another dog and looks at him, correct as above (now we are correcting him for even thinking about it.)

Step Three: As your dog walks toward another dog and looks away from him, praise him and give a food treat. Using positive and negative reinforcement can often times act to re-shape this behavior.