When to Begin
Ideally, you will think about your own house rules before you acquire that little bundle of love. Although owners of small dogs tend to think of them as babies, they are in fact dogs, and sometimes their doggy behavior can cause problems to the people in their lives. It's up to you to raise a canine companion you can be proud of, and the teaching process will take place everyday. It can and should be a labor of love.
Your puppy will start learning good manners the first day you bring it home. Before that memorable day, your household members should discuss the rules for good puppyhood. Inconsistency from its human caretakers will lead to one confused and naughty little pup. How can Buddy learn to conform with the house rules if they keep changing?
To raise a puppy properly, you need to be patient and consistent. One person within the family, probably you, will be doing the lion's share of training. But since all household members will enjoy the little tyke, you all need to agree to the same rules and methods of correction. Discuss the terms you will use as commands and what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior for this new little family member.
Do small dogs really need training?
A dog of any size needs to be trained so that you can take it with you anywhere. All dogs should be under their owners' control or removed from situations that they cannot handle. A dog that poses a threat to other pets or people is a liability, no matter what its size.
Make sure no one thinks it's okay to hit the young dog. Obviously, no one should allow nipping or games that encourage aggression. To ensure your dog's good health, make sure family members don't feed him from their plates. And until he is fully housetrained, the little guy should not have the run of the house.
Most owners of small dogs don't mind them on the furniture. They are lap dogs, after all, and they won't grow up to be ninety-pound dynamos that take up the whole couch. Nonetheless, teach your dog to wait to join you until it is invited. You might be eating, sewing, or reading and not want a ten-pound missile landing in your lap. You teach this by both verbal and nonverbal signals, such as tapping your thigh and saying “Up!” when you want canine company, then rewarding the pup's compliance with praise and a treat. Establishing your leadership is done in subtle ways like this. If you don't want the little imp to share the sofa, make sure you have a comfy little bed or mat nearby instead.
As far as sharing your own bed with a pup, this practice can lead to problems. A small pup could jump off the bed, causing severe injury. It could also wet the bed, not a pleasant way for you to awaken in the middle of the night. If yours is a dominant pup, it may get possessive about the bed, guarding it against other family members. Again, it boils down to a leadership issue. The puppy is not your equal. Your family is now its pack, and you are the pack leader. For everyone's sake, including its own, it needs to accept this subordinate role. When it's time to go to sleep for the night, your pup will be far better off in its own crate, next to your bed.
