Whether you have just gotten a new puppy or adopted an older dog, you'll want to start training them as soon as possible. Training from an early age is certainly advantageous, but you can always teach an old dog new tricks. Teaching your dog what you want them to do and how to behave will help prevent them from choosing undesirable behaviors in the home and give them confidence in you and themselves when asked to behave in public. You will also want to proof your home so that there are few opportunities for them to learn bad behaviors from the start. Some examples would be placing gates between rooms you don't want them to access, not leaving food on the counter for them to snatch, providing plenty of toys and chewables as outlets for normal doggy urges, and putting a leash on them every time you take them outside. If you teach your dog a few simple behaviors then they will have the ability to choose those behaviors as alternatives to inappropriate ones, allowing you to reward them and strengthen said behaviors as well as their confidence in you and themselves.
