You do not have to look very far to determine that the old saying about a dog being a man's (or woman's) best friend is right on. Dogs provide a great companion and they only want your attention in return. Some dogs require a bit more attention than others but that is understandable. Nowhere else will find a friend that will forgive you so willingly for virtually anything you may have done.

When you get a new puppy, one of the first tasks that you are going to want to teach it is the task of being house broken, and to provide some kind of sign or signal when they need to go outdoors to relieve themselves. By nature, dogs will squat wherever they are and this is their nature, but with training you can teach them that doing this inside the house is not good, and they need to do what you teach them.

An old school of thought is that when they make a mess indoors, you should scold them, stick their nose in it, and then put them outside. Believe me, there is not a need to stick their nose in it, they will get the point with the scolding. Keep in mind that this is an animal, not a child, and it may take them a bit longer to catch on to what you are trying to teach them, but in the end they will eventually catch on.

Dogs are huge with the reward system. Your attention and petting and kind words go a long way towards letting the dog know you are happy with something they have done, and it really does not take long for them to grasp the concept of something when it is associated with a reward. That reward could be a dog treat or kind words, but when they have done something right, make sure you remember the reward system will work wonders with them.

Some people want to have a dog but they are gone all day. This creates a problem, because even with a dog crate, the dog should not be left alone in the crate for the period of an entire work day, which is 8 hours or more. They just cannot hold it that long, and scolding them for making a mess in their crate after you have left them for 8 or more hours is totally unreasonable. If you are going to be gone for that long a period of time, either do not get a dog or make other arrangements. There are many places popping up all over that are the equivalent of "doggy day care", and this is an excellent alternative to leaving your dog in a crate all day.

In terms of intelligence, dogs are pretty much the same. It is said that some breeds are smarter than others, but I think it is because some breeds are more anxious to please you than others and therefore have your undivided attention when you are trying to teach them something. To a certain extent, dogs are as different, even within the same breed, as humans. I have seen some dogs that appear to be dumber than a doorknob, but then again, I have also met humans who fall into that same category!

Love your dog and treat them right, and you will have a constant companion and a friend for life!