A good place to start is some of the articles on our website. The Dog Training Tips article is the most pertinent.

Here are some other articles that I like:

• Alpha… All Dogs Need a Pack Leader
• Nothing In Life Is Free
• Who’s in Charge Here? A Lesson in Becoming Alpha.

Oh, and two great techniques for dogs on how to punish without physical violence.

How to Punish Without Physical Violence

I recommend practicing the “Nothing in Life is Free” technique.

You can google this, but the technique basically says that a dog must sit, shake, lie down etc before they get any kind of resource. For instance, before they get a treat, they must sit. Before they go outside for a walk, they must shake.

Your new dog needs to see you and the kids as dominant – this will make him feel more comfortable and curb any behavior problems.

If he/she does something that you don’t want him to do, use a squirt bottle filled with water and spray them in the face. Give the meanest growl you can muster and yell, “NO!” in his face.

If he/she does something that is really bad, then he/she gets punished by having to go to his crate and have a time out. I set my kitchen timer for two minutes. The object of the time out is that he is denied what they love most- your attention. Time outs must happen in their crate where he/she can not see anyone.

Get a crate! If you don’t have one already, he/she absolutely needs a crate. The crate should be their “safe zone.” No one, including the other dogs, should be allowed to put their hands inside the crate and they should be left alone each and every time he/she goes in there.

Make the crate a comfortable and happy place by putting in toys, blankets, and a comfy bed. Dogs love things he/she can chew on- I recommend peanut butter filled bones, bully sticks, and kong toys.

I recommend feeding them in his crate for at least the first three weeks.

Dogs that have a history of being starved (and most of our dogs do) can exhibit what looks like food aggression, but what is really just resource hoarding. After a dog learns that food will always come consistently in their home then it is fine to feed them anywhere. Feeding them in their crates will also help them to associate being full and comfortable with the crate – this is a good thing!

Their crate should be positioned so that it has at least two side (and three would be better) against walls or furniture. A crate is much like a dog’s den – they actually feel more comfortable is a darker, enclosed area.

He or she should be crated whenever you leave the house and whenever you can not be watching them. The best way to avoid any problems with chewing/ accidents in the house is to keep him in the same room with you anytime he/she is outside of the crate.

The first week or two is a learning period and he will have no idea what is expected of him, so use this time to teach. If they have accidents or chews things in the house and no one catches them in the act, the dog will become extremely confused as to why he/she is disciplined sometimes and not disciplined others.