Bringing a new puppy home is exciting. But it can also be challenging when you're not sure about how to train your new four-legged family member. Much like a human child, puppies need constant supervision and someone to teach them the ways of the world. With time, patience and training, your new puppy can be a well-behaved, valued member of your family.

Positive Reinforcement
The best way to make your new puppy do what you want is to reward positive behavior. Treats are an ideal way to tell your new dog he's doing something right. However, treats aren't the only way to reward good behavior---pets and praises can be just as effective. It's important to mix up your rewards to make sure your puppy isn't only motivated by food. It's also important to avoid giving out "free" rewards. Make your dog work for every reward to reinforce the message you are the leader of the pack. This can help avoid stress from not knowing his pack position. Unwanted behavior is often the result of a puppy asserting dominance.

House Training
The best way to train your puppy to "go" outside is to bring her outside frequently. Wait until she eliminates and then praise her lavishly by saying "good puppy" several times in a high, excited voice. If you catch your dog eliminating indoors, clap or make a loud noise to startle and interrupt her. Take her immediately outside and, if she finishes, praise her. It's important not to yell at or punish a dog who eliminates in the house. Doing so can teach the dog either to be scared of you or not to eliminate in your presence. If you find a soiled area, clean it promptly and use an enzyme cleaner on your floor. These cleaners can be found at most pet stores and remove all traces of odor. Dogs often eliminate in the same areas based on scent; this will help to lessen the chance your dog will "go" in that spot again.

Socialization
It's important to expose your new dog to people and pets of all sizes. Bringing him to a dog park, letting him play with neighborhood kids and arranging play dates with other dogs are ideal ways to help him feel comfortable with other animals and people. It also gives him the chance to get exercise and fulfill his natural urge to play. By introducing him to other animals and people at a young age, he's less likely to feel threatened or act aggressively later in life.

Crate Training
At some point in time, it's likely you'll have to leave your puppy alone for a few hours. Until she can be trusted home alone, a crate can be a helpful solution. It is critical to create a positive association with her crate. This can be done by feeding her in her crate and offering her treats every time she enters on her own. This will help her feel the crate is her safe place and her own little quiet area in your home. Start by leaving her alone for just a few minutes. If it goes well, you can gradually increase the time up to a few hours. A good rule of thumb is that puppies up to six months of age should be left no more hours than their age in months. For example, a three-month-old puppy should be left alone no longer than three hours.

Unwanted Behavior
At some point, it's likely your puppy will push his limits. It may be nipping, jumping or a variety of other behaviors that you consider unacceptable. The best way to change this behavior is to distract him and encourage him to do something you want. For example, if your puppy is nipping at you, ask him to "sit." If he does so, praise him. If your puppy refuses to change the behavior, a stern "no" and turning to ignore him is the best way to make him stop. Puppies thrive on attention. Once your puppy understands that unwanted behavior leads to being ignored, the behavior will likely stop.

Puppy training is important to having a happy home that isn't destroyed by puppy teeth and over-exuberance. Seeking the help of a professional will often get you on the right foot in your training program.

Training Tips

All dogs should learn the basics of obedience. "Sit," "stay" and "off" are good commands to work on first. Starting training your puppy as soon as possible so it won't learn bad habits. Very young dogs have a short attention span, though, so training sessions should be short and frequent.

Treats are the best motivation, so show the puppy you have something tantalizing in your hand. This gets their attention. Next say the desired command and show the dog how to do what you want it to do. For example, put the puppy in the sit position and give it a treat. With a bit of repetition, the dog will quickly figure out that the desired behavior will result in a treat.

Potty training can be more difficult. To train a dog to go in the desired place, take the puppy to that place multiple times throughout the day, and if it does its "business," reward it with a treat.

The key to proper puppy behavior is to start early and be consistent. If a behavior is overlooked one day then punished the next, it sets up a mixed message for the pup and you will not get the behavior you're seeking. For example, if you allow your puppy on the couch sometimes, it will think the couch is an acceptable place for it.

Exercise keeps a dog's physical and mental health sound. Bored animals tend to find mischief, and they can be more difficult to train because they have a hard time focusing when they have too much energy.

Some breeds, such as collies and retrievers, require more mental stimulation than others because they were bred to be working dogs. These guys can get into trouble and develop undesirable behaviors unless you offer them an alternative. Keeping a plethora of toys available and introducing more active training like "fetch" is a good way to start. Once your puppy is 6 months old, you can introduce games that are more mentally and physically challenging.