How to Train a Puppy That Is 6-Months-Old

Housetrain your puppy right away. Buy a crate to confine it when you can't supervise it (for no more than a few hours at a time). Walk your puppy outside on a leash every couple of hours and reward it for going potty in the yard. Interrupt your puppy when you catch it making a mess, take it outside and reward it for finishing its business in an appropriate spot. Treats, praise and games will help you teach your six-month-old puppy where to go potty.

Socialize your puppy. The first year of life is especially important for this (and the younger the better). Enroll your puppy in a puppy class to provide it a chance to meet new people and other puppies. Take it for walks to different locations throughout your neighborhood or city. Introduce it to new people and animals as frequently as possible, and expose it to every sight, sound and smell you can possibly think of. This will give your puppy self-confidence and help it learn how to respond bravely (and not aggressively) to new situations.

Make rules for your puppy to follow. Giving your puppy boundaries helps prevent it from taking over your home and teaches it how to fit within your home and family. Enforce your puppy's rules consistently or it will learn that it is okay to break them.

Teach your puppy basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stay and come. These commands can be taught by a professional trainer, or you can teach your puppy at home using positive reinforcement training methods. Use treats to train your puppy to do what you ask, by rewarding it for behaving appropriately. Use treats, toys and praise to reward your puppy as it learns how to respond to commands and obeys them. Slowly stop using treats as rewards as your puppy masters each command.

Correct your puppy's misbehavior (it will find plenty of it) by interrupting it. You can use a noise such as a whistle or clap, or you can teach your dog the "leave it" command. Don't scold your puppy. Instead, reward your puppy for responding to your interruption. For example, if you find your puppy's head in the trash, say "leave it!" as you clap loudly. The instant your puppy pulls its head away from the garbage and looks at you, praise it excitedly and reward it. This teaches it that better rewards come for not raiding the garbage. Require it to move farther and farther away from the garbage before rewarding it, until you no longer have to use treats at all.

Help your puppy learn leash manners by taking it for walks every day. Stuff your pockets full of treats. If your puppy pulls on the leash, stop walking and wait for it to return to you. Give it a command, such as "sit" if you like. When the leash becomes loose again, reward your puppy. Start by rewarding it as soon as the tension leaves the leash. Gradually require your puppy to wait longer and longer periods before receiving a reward, which includes a treat and the privilege of moving forward again.

Exercise with your puppy every day. Play in the yard, go jogging or go for walks. Six-month old puppies have energy to spare, and they need a way to expend it. If you don't provide that for them they may find ways to do it themselves. Prevent your puppy from developing destructive habits by helping it get the exercise it needs every day. When you aren't exercising, help it get the mental stimulation it needs by providing bones, chews or toys to play with.