Let's face it. All dogs do things that are embarrassing to their owners. But worse than embarrassing, puppies who are untrained make their owners' lives a living hell. Poop on the rug after a long walk, tearing the toilet paper off the roll no matter how many times they're reprimanded, and chewing a hole in the rug right after finishing off a large, $2.00 Greenie makes no sense to a human.
It's really simple, dogs want to please their masters. Unfortunately for puppies, they just don't understand our language or our expectations. They're usually more confused than anything else. Meaning no harm, you'll find they're just displaying the traits and talents common to their particular breed.
Barking
This is what dogs do. Small or large, their barking can cause problems for the people who live with them and next door to them. If you yell, "QUIET" really loudly, they have no clue what you're saying, they think you're barking along with them. So they bark even more. Don't try this one at home!
Chewing
Puppies love to chew, especially from approximately 14 weeks to 6 months of age when they are teething the most. If a play toy isn't enough, make sure to give puppies an edible chew once or twice a day to keep them from chewing on all the wrong things in a home, like carpets and leather shoes.
If you can catch them chewing on a wrong thing and quickly let them know you're not happy with it ( a loud "anh anh" will suffice) and replace it with an acceptable chew toy, you may be able to make them understand this rule more quickly.
There are some great chews available at pet stores that are completely edible, healthy (lamb and apple, for example), and allow for a good deal of chewing time for a puppy or a grown dog.
Basic Puppy Training
Giving puppies toys they like along with regular walks, a little bit of training and encouragement should keep most puppies happy and healthy. A very simple way to do all three is to walk the puppy (or let him play outside in the yard) and when he's brought inside, ask him to sit while holding a small treat. Let him smell it, and say "sit" while pushing his bottom lightly down. He should learn this quite quickly.
Once the puppy can "sit" on command, add a new command. Holding the treat in front of his nose, move the treat to the floor while saying, "lay down" and when he does it (amazingly quickly, as this is quite simple), reward him with the treat immediately. These two tricks should occur within days of each other and will help the master to see just how much the puppy wants to please and can learn.
Since "Sit" can be so easily learned, it can also be used to protect the puppy from himself. If a puppy runs outside without his leash on, the master can sternly command, "Sit" and the puppy will obey. This is vitally important if cars are nearby and his life is in jeopardy.
Using a Crate
Having a safe place for your puppy to sleep, play and drink while you are busy at home or away is a necessary step in puppy training. Having a crate with a bed and a chew toy is a perfect way to show your puppy you love him. Never used as a place of punishment, the crate is a safe place for the puppy to stay in at night or for two to three hours at a time in the early stages.
Teach with Kindness
Dogs form close bonds with people and truly want to please them. They don't need your anger, but they do crave discipline as long as it comes with love. If your puppy or dog has a behavior problem that is too serious to ignore, such as aggression, check with a professional to get help. Don't allow the dog to create an unsafe situation for a family.
Puppy Love is pure and unconditional. Treat your puppy with love and fairness, a consistent set of rules, and resolve to teach until the rules make perfect sense to a puppy full of mischief.
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