Principles Of Preventative Training
The idea is simple. Try to prevent leaving your dog unsupervised where he can get into trouble, he will learn which activities are allowed and which are forbidden much more quickly than if he’s allowed to make mistakes.

If your dog is left unsupervised often and does unwanted things, he believes these things are OK because he enjoys doing them and no one is there to say anything different. You cannot correct a dog after the fact – dogs can’t connect a punishment with something they did hours, minutes or even seconds ago. Until you catch your dog in the act, the unwanted behavior is reinforced every time he repeats it.

Practicing Preventative Training
First off, plan to spend a lot of time with your dog for the first several weeks or even months after you bring your dog home. Make sure you have a crate for your dog.

• Confine your dog to the room you're in and litter it generously with chew toys.
• If your dog starts heading toward trouble, distract him with an appropriate toy and praise him when he takes it.
• If your dog is already into trouble, interrupt him with a firm ‘No!’ then when the dog stops, offer a toy and praise him for interest in it or give an obedience command and praise your dog for obeying.
• When you can’t be around, keep your dog confined in his crate, a pen or in a small, dog-proof area. (Read about Crate Training for more information)

It’s that simple. And it’s extremely effective because:

• It sets you up immediately as pack leader.
• It doesn’t allow bad habits to start, so you don’t need to correct them later.
• It quickly builds a strong bond between you and your dog.

Do’s and Don’ts
Do use the right tone of voice to communicate: higher pitched for praise; matter-of-fact for commands; lower, growling tones to show displeasure. Don’t hit your dog. Dogs and puppies do not understand being hit or grabbed. They will only learn they cannot trust you and learn to fear you, making them even harder to train. Do praise your dog warmly and often for doing the right thing. This will help your dog to make the right choices in the future and besides, it’s fun!