Training is an important part of raising any puppy or introducing an adult dog to any home, but it is crucial for families who have children or are adding children to their existing dog family. The more training a dog has had, the easier it is to direct him and the smoother the transition to family life with kids will be. Here are some behaviors that are essential in managing your new dog or puppy around your family life:

• Leave it. This behavior means stop what you are doing or thinking about doing immediately. This comes in handy for dropped toys, food, or other treasure that the dog thinks are free game.

• Down/Stay. If a dog can hold a down and stay there until you have finished your business, you will all keep your sanity.

• Sit/Stay. This is the behavior that will replace the wild greeting your dog wants to give every person and other dog he meets. Being able to sit and stay will mean that you will enjoy his company and the kids can have friends visit without being wrestled to the ground in a tangled heap.

• Walk nicely without pulling. Otherwise known as heeling, this behavior will allow you to take your dog more places. Having a dog that walks next to you nicely is so much safer and much more pleasant than a dog that pulls you through the streets on a mission that only he knows about.

• Come when called. Being able to call your dog to come when he is in the yard or running loose in the woods or park is essential to being able to allow this privilege in the first place. Giving this freedom is wonderful exercise and mental stimulation for dogs, but the dog must be reliable about coming back or it is not an option.

In general, the more you train your dog to comply with these basic behaviors, the better able you will be to offer him privileges and the more fun it will be to take him places and do things together. The point of getting a dog in the first place was so that he could spend time with you doing the things that families do, so make sure he has the skills and knowledge to hold up his end of the bargain and be a polite, pleasant member of your family.