The biggest hurdle in training your new best friend is housebreaking. Gerilyn Bielakiewicz, cofounder of Canine University, a dog-training center in Malden, Massachusetts, shares her technique.

Walk the puppy every hour, on a leash, in one spot in the yard. Stay one to three minutes tops. Use a chart to record what happened — if she went, or if she didn't.

After a week or so, look at the chart to see when the puppy is going, then eliminate any unproductive walks.

If your puppy has an accident, write it on the chart. If she has accidents around the same time every day, add another trip outside.

And as for pesky habits, such as chewing shoes or chair legs? "Puppies are destructive if they're given too much freedom too soon," says Bielakiewicz. "Prevention is the cure." Watch the puppy when she's loose in the house, confine her to a crate when you're not around, and make sure she has a healthy supply of chew toys.

Others believe that "the easiest way to break in a new puppy is not to get one," says Sam Stall, coauthor of The Dog Owner's Manual ($15, www.amazon.com). "An older dog usually only needs to be refreshed on the rules of the house. It's like buying a computer with the software already installed."