Your adorable new puppy is your pride and joy -- except when he jumps up on guests and chews on the furniture. What should you do?

Start training your puppy as soon as you get him, advise the experts, or that cute, cuddly ball of fur may grow into a 60-pound nuisance.

Simple obedience commands are the best way to begin. The professional dog trainers of Best Friends Pet Resorts & Salons, a national company offering full service pet care, offer the following advice for getting started.

Who's in charge here?
The most important lesson to convey to your new pet is that you are the boss. This is essential if you want your new puppy to take direction from you. As pack animals, dogs naturally attempt to assume a leadership position. Your family is puppy's new pack, and you must quickly establish yourself as leader by being firm, consistent and clear in your communications.

It is very important to teach your dog, the "come" command, both for his own safety and yours. Best Friends trainers recommend using the leash method. Begin by putting a collar on your puppy. Once he's accustomed to wearing it, attach a leash and standing several feet away, say "come", and gently pull him toward you.

As he reaches you, praise him. Puppies have short attention spans, so make it fun for him by keeping each session down to a few minutes. Once your puppy learns to associate the word with the action, you can begin practicing without a leash.

Other early training
Once your puppy has learned the "come" command, you can move on to "sit" and then "down". Both of these commands place your dog in a submissive position, and can be used to settle your puppy if he is acting up.

You can also make a game out of encouraging your puppy to pick up his toys. Praise him for it, then teach him "drop it." Practice object exchanges, where the puppy trades you something he has for something you've got. Your pup will soon be adept at bringing you things and dropping them on command.

Guidelines for success
Successful dog training relies on positive reinforcement and establishing yourself early as the leader. Remember these golden rules for puppy training:

• Start training as early as possible.
• Be consistent.
• Give your puppy lots of opportunities to succeed.
• Always reward good behavior with words of praise, hugs and treats.
• Practice patience.

Take a class
While there are many good books available on puppy training, most experts agree that one of the best ways to get started is by joining a group class. It's a great way to socialize your pup, while you, the handler, learn the correct ways to teach, reward and correct him.

Be sure to find a professional trainer who stands behind his or her program. At Best Friends, dog training classes come with a Results Guarantee. If you successfully complete a class -- by attending all sessions and completing all homework assignments -- and your pet needs a review or a brush-up, you can repeat the class at no additional cost.

For further information on training classes near you, check with your local Best Friends Pet Resort or see the Canine College section of the Best Friends website under Services.