The dog will think you are playing a game or will become frightened and run faster. Never let it chew your finger or hand or the leash. It will think biting is allowed. Each lesson should last 10 minutes or less. The dog will be bored if you make it work too long. Teach one command at a time, and do not teach a new one until the dog has learned the previous lesson completely.

A young puppy does not know that it should not soil the rug or floor, so you must start housebreaking your dog early—perhaps as soon as it is 6 weeks old. Place some old newspapers in a corner as far away from the do’s bed as possible. Dogs—even young puppies—do not like to soil their beds. An indoor kennel or crate will be your greatest aid in housebreaking because the dog will try not to soil the crate. And taking the dog outdoors at once if you think it needs to go will save you much trouble.

Take your dog outdoors to the same place as many times a day as you can. For a very young puppy, once every hour is not too often. Praise it when it does what it should outdoors. Be sure to take the dog outdoors as soon as you wake up in the morning, just before you go to bed at night, right after its meals, and many times in between. When it misbehaves in the house, say “No!” sharply and take it out at once.

When the dog is 4 months or older, it should be housebroken—if you have given it every chance to go outdoors when it must. If it is not housebroken by that time, try to watch for mistakes in the house and throw a tin can, with pebbles or marbles inside, near the dog to frighten it. Say “No! No!” at the same time and rush it outdoors.

Your dog will learn its name quickly if you repeat the name often and pet the dog when it comes to you. When it dashes away from you, wait a minute and then say, “Come Brownie (or whatever its name is).” When the dog comes to you, pet and praise it.