Getting a dog is an exciting experience and a sweet little puppy soon becomes a beloved member of the family. An important part of dog ownership is the training process and every pet dog must be taught the right and wrong way to behave. A dog left untrained can become a nuisance and even a hazard to you, your family, and your home.

The first issue you will want to address with your puppy is that of housebreaking. It is crucial that your puppy learns the acceptable place to go to the bathroom. Be advised, however, that puppies cannot control their bladders until at least 12 weeks of age.

A good way to potty train your puppy is with the use of a crate. Purchase a crate that is large enough for your puppy to be in comfortably but still rather small. This is because a dog is more unlikely to soil his sleeping area. Confine your puppy for several hours at a time, when you are away, and overnight. Upon removing your puppy from the crate, immediately take him out to the designated potty area. Praise your dog lavishly when he goes to the bathroom where he is supposed to. Consistency and patience is a must when housebreaking. Do not shout at your dog or hit him for accidents. This will make your dog frightened of you and may lead to aggression, and it will not help the training process in any way. If your dog has accidents in the house, take a little of the waste to the designated area and show the dog. Then, clean up all traces of the mess with a cleanser specially designed to remove pet stains and odor. If your dog cannot smell the accident, he is unlikely to return to that area.

The next thing you'll want your puppy to learn is what is acceptable to chew on and what is not. Your puppy doesn't know the difference between the remote control and a dog toy until you show him. When you catch your puppy chewing a household item, give a firm "No!" and remove the item from the dog's mouth. Then, replace it with a suitable chew toy and praise your puppy for chewing on the toy.

Teaching your dog to come when called is another part of basic training. For this you will need a collar and leash. The proper fit is an important consideration and you should make sure the collar is snug but not too tight, and that the leash is not the retractable variety. You don't want your dog to have a lot of freedom on the leash. Stand a few steps away from your dog and give the "come" command. Then, tug gently on the leash to encourage your dog to come towards you. When he does, praise him. You will need to repeat this as many times as it takes. Dogs need repetition and consistency to learn.

Some breeds can be very stubborn and difficult for us to train. If you find yourself in this situation you may need to consider the use of a dog training collar. There are a variety of dog training collars on the market from which you can choose, each of which is designed for a specific purpose, such as those to stop unnecessary barking, or others that are simply used to stop dogs from pulling ahead when they on the leash. There are even remote controlled collars that can be activated by an owner at the precise moment that a dog performs an undesired action.. Whatever need you have, you can be assured that there will be a type of training collar available that will help you to correct any unwanted behavior from your dog.

If you don't feel confident training your dog by yourself, or if you're experiencing specific behavioral problems, consider a dog training school. These schools employ professionals who are qualified to train just about all breeds of dogs. Be sure to visit several schools to figure out which one is best for you, and always check references. The most expensive schools are not always the best -- a cheaper school can provide the same amount of quality as a costly one.

No matter what or how you plan to teach your dog, remember the most important things: patience, consistency, and love. A sense of humor never hurt, either!