Don't allow your new puppy to do things that you won't want him to do when he's full grown.

When you bring a 7 or 8 week old puppy home, it may be hard to imagine him taking over the furniture, knocking over lamps, stealing food off counters, eating potted plants and harassing the family cat.  Even though it may not damage anything when a tiny puppy jumps up and puts his paws on the edge of the couch and it may even look cute when he jumps around and barks excitedly at the cat, these are the beginnings of that wild behavior.

You must teach your puppy house manners.

To begin teaching house manners, your puppy should be given an on-leash "tour" each time he enters the house.  Calmly walk the puppy through the house on-leash, allowing him to sniff.  Praise and reward him with food treats for being calm. If he tries to drag you through the house, simply stop and wait for him to move back towards you.  If he sticks his nose somewhere it shouldn't be (in a potted plant, shoes, children’s toys etc.), simply clap or make some other sound to divert his attention.  Immediately redirect the puppy back toward you with the food lure and continue with your tour.  Avoid using your voice to interrupt him. We don't want him to think he should only leave those things alone around you!  It is better if he thinks the interruption is coming from the item he shouldn't touch or from the environment in general.

Assign the puppy his very own spot in the house.       

After the “tour” outlined above, take the puppy to a well-trafficked area of the house. Tie him in that area with a buckle collar and leash. (note: if your puppy might chew on the leash, properly treat it with bitter apple or use a chain leash). Get a comfortable mat for him to lay on and place it where you want him to lay. Give the puppy an appropriate chew toy he enjoys and invite him to lay down and relax in that area on his mat. Ignore the puppy until he calms down and starts chewing his toys before rewarding him for being there. It may be difficult for him to disengage from you and relax if you don't leave him alone for a bit.  It might take him up to 15 minutes to relax. When he's resting, reward calm behavior.

Don't attempt to bring your puppy in the house without a) first giving him the opportunity to relieve himself and b) giving him sufficient exercise to enable him to be calm in the house.

Most of you are familiar with the "puppy crazies" that afflicts most puppies several times each day. If the "puppy crazies" strike while he's in the house, it is definitely time to take him outside. Also, if your puppy already has a habit of being rambunctious and playing in the house, it will take longer for him to learn the "new" rules of being calm. Be patient and consistent with these exercises to develop house manners and he'll catch on. You can help your puppy learn the rules by not playing with him in the house. Playing should occur outdoors only until the puppy is trained. If the weather prevents you from playing outside, then at least confine it to one out-of-the-way room, not the middle of the living room.

Until the puppy/dog has house manners (is quiet, calm, obedient, stays off furniture, is housebroken, doesn't touch forbidden objects like shoes or TV remote controls, stays out of forbidden areas of the house etc.) he should not be allowed loose in the house.

This means that he must be monitored on leash every moment he's not in his crate, in the back yard, or in his dog run. Most puppies are not mature enough to be loose in the house unmonitored for even short periods of time until they are about  6 months old. Remember, you wouldn’t let a 2 year old child run loose in the house unsupervised.  After your puppy understands the routine of the calm  '"tour" followed by going to his spot to lie down, you can start allowing him to have small amounts of freedom.  

Remember to always reward calm behavior.

 

Chewing	Digging	Barking
Nipping	Jumping	Housebreaking