There are several aspects to dog house training, such as potty training, teaching your dog where to sleep, and making your dog aware of the boundaries he should not cross. The most important lesson your dog can learn--and this will make all training much, much simpler--is that you are the big cheese, the head honcho, and the alpha dog in the house. While you should always be loving, the key to establishing yourself as the pack leader is being firm and consistent. This is true whether you are training a puppy or an older dog.

Dog House Training: That's My Couch!
It is natural for any dog to want to jump onto the living room couch with you. Teaching him that the couch is off limits is a great opportunity to show your dog who the boss is. You can usually tell when your dog is about to jump. Before he does, say, "Down," as you would during obedience training. If your dog has been jumping on the couch for a while, he will be torn between what he wants and what you want him to do. He wants to listen, but he REALLY wants to be on the couch.

If he does hop on the couch, tug on his leash and say, "Down." No matter how stubborn he is (older dogs who are accustomed to sitting somewhere will try to resist), you cannot give in. A dog who wins a battle of wills thinks of himself as the leader of the pack. The couch is now his. And now that he has established dominance, he will pick and choose when he wants to listen, no matter what the command is. In other words, if there is food or in it for him, he will listen; if not, forget about it!

Use Positive Reinforcement for All Dog House Training
Just as important as being firm and consistent, your dog must know he will receive praise for being obedient. If he finds it pleasurable to be the omega dog, he will gladly accept that role. Rather than just being a drill sergeant about where the dog can and cannot sit, why not buy him his own bed so that he has a comfortable alternative to the couch?

Being firm and willful is necessary on your part, but never cross the line and be physically abusive. A tug on the leash is good. Saying, "No," in a harsh voice is necessary. A smack on the nose, on the other hand, is counterproductive. Violence is not only cruel but can cause your dog to become aggressive down the road.