The word "NO" is your most effective training tool. Speak in a tone that lets the puppy know you are displeased. On the flip side, when your puppy is being good he needs to know that all's well with a happy, squeaky voiced "GOOD PUPPY". As with housebreaking, the most effective correction is one that occurs when the puppy is in the process of doing something wrong such as chewing the furniture or mouthing on someone's hand. Every correction must be followed by a verbal praise when the puppy is doing something right. SIMPLY STOPPING WHATEVER HE WAS DOING THAT WAS WRONG QUALIFIES AS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT AND SHOULD BE PRAISED. In this way, the puppy receives both negative and positive reinforcement which will let him know that he can be good, that he should try to be good and, most importantly, how to be good. Thus, the puppy learns that even though he has angered you, you still love him and will forgive him. Do not make your corrections long and drawn out. The pup will quickly forget why he is being corrected and will just feel browbeaten. Punishments should last for several seconds, NEVER more than a minute. After that, no matter what he has done, all is forgiven. In order to make the praise really count, give the pup an opportunity to substitute good behavior for the bad. For example, if the pup was chewing on something, scold him for chewing then put one of his chew toys in his mouth and tell him he's the best puppy in the world. And when you tell him how good he is, there must be a smile on your face and a smile in your voice. After all, it is the sound of your voice, not your words, that tell the pup how you really feel.

Remember to make the punishment fit the crime, a minor mistake gets a mild correction (followed by a mild praise) and a major error is given a more severe correction followed by extra praise. Every dog is different and the severity of the correction must be tailored to the dog with a more stubborn dog receiving a harsher correction than a real softy. There are times, however, you will find that even a soft dog will need a more stern correction. Remember, the most humane correction is the gentlest correction that WORKS. An overly harsh correction will only frighten the dog while a too soft, nagging one is ineffective and only gets the owner and the dog annoyed.

Now that we have covered how to give an effective correction, the best bet is to prevent having to give one in the first place. This is best accomplished by taking care of problems while both the puppy and the problems are small. Our rule of thumb is, if it's not going to be cute in a 60 to 90 pound adult (with very large teeth) it is NOT CUTE in a puppy!

Something to keep in mind during the puppy's eighth to tenth weeks (the first three weeks in your home) is that this is a "critical period" for the puppy. During this time, anything which frightens the pup may make a lasting impression. This does not mean that the pup must be sheltered and coddled. Just be gentle and patient. Try to be considerate of the puppy's needs so that housebreaking accidents will be minimized. If he does make a mistake, remember that he has not had time to learn your rules yet. Don't fly off the handle, just remind him firmly but gently. THINK! If you have an expensive Persian carpet that he might ruin, do not let him get within a mile of it! Eventually, when he learns your rules, you will be able to trust him.