The more structure and house rules you have in the beginning, the more peaceful the homecoming will be. Chaotic households with lots of noise are not a great way to convince a new dog or puppy that she has hit the jackpot and got the best family on the block. Dogs like order and a schedule and thrive in environments that are organized and make sense. They need to be fed and walked on a schedule, they need predictable potty breaks and play time, and they need frequent downtime and naps. Many behavior problems can arise without downtime in a crate for puppies and adolescent dogs or in a gated area for older dogs.

Nap Time

Downtime lets a dog know that it's time to rest, and when this is offered on a regular basis there is a lot less inappropriate behavior, including nipping, mouthing, jumping, and destructive behavior. Out — of-control behavior can be curbed by making sure that your new dog is getting enough downtime. Most dogs will not seek out a bed or crate for a nap when they are puppies or adolescents. Much like children, they can't stand to miss anything despite the fact they are so tired they can barely stand up. Having a safe place to take a nap or chew on a bone is essential for dogs so that they can recharge and have a full rest.

Puppy-Proofing

Limit the amount of space your puppy has to run around — especially when you're not home. Many people confine the pup to a room or group of manageable rooms in the beginning. Choose a room in which there's a lot of people traffic so your puppy doesn't feel isolated. Pick a room that's fairly easy to clean, with an easily washable floor surface. Put up baby gates to keep the puppy in her area. Once your puppy understands what's expected of her with regard to housetraining in her designated area, you can expand the area she's allowed in, still using the baby gates to keep her from rooms that are off limits.

A Word on Crates

If you have a puppy and you've bought a crate that will fit her when she is full grown, she is going to have a lot of room in it. This is not good because she will be able to eat and sleep in one end and eliminate in the other, which defeats all your housetraining efforts. To reduce the amount of room your pup has in the crate, create a divider to put in it so that the space is cut down to about half. As your puppy grows, you can move the divider until she doesn't need it anymore. You can use anything from stiff cardboard to plywood as a divider. Just make sure it's securely positioned so your puppy can't grab an end to chew on and devour it.