Owning a puppy brings great happiness but is also a lifelong responsibility to the puppy. You will need to care for him properly and responsibly. A well trained puppy is a happy puppy and he will not be a nuisance to others if he's under control.

Potty training is, to most owners, the first and most important kind of training a puppy needs. The good news is that, unless the new puppy was previously confined for long periods in dirty living conditions, she will naturally tend to avoid doing her "business" in places where she must sleep or eat. This instinct is important when it comes to house-training.

How to start training your puppy:

- A puppy goes to the toilet very frequently so begin by putting him outside in a suitable spot as soon as he seems to want to go. Do repeat this and praise him when he finishes his business in the right place.

- Regular times: you need to build up regular times to take him out - in the morning, after a meal and at night.

- Going on command: Once your puppy can use the garden, you need to train him to go on command there so he won't let go in undesirable places.

- Use a command word such as "clean" or "busy" just as he is about to go potty. Always use the same tone of voice and praise him when he has finished.

- Ideally your dog should be trained to "go at home", but when out in public places, remember to take a "poop-scoop" and clean up after your dog.

You can get more information on how to potty train and generally house train your new acquired puppy by checking out this blog: