hello! i have a new bloodhound puppy named jake, and am in need of advice on how to potty train him as well as get him to stop biting and chewing on everything. he is adorable but very strong-willed and i need to get him under control now before it is too late. can ayone help me?

How old is he? Socialisation and obedience are very important from as early as possible, so I would advise you to get him enrolled in a puppy socialisation/training class as soon as possible. Bloodhounds are very stubborn & strong willed dogs, so you need to train him with some basic obedience. Avoid classes that allow the use of chains and old fashioned methods such as physical punishment.

With regards to housetraining, I find using paper or puppy pads a waste of time. Take him outside very regularly, every time he wakes up, eats, drinks, plays, etc. Lots of praise when he goes in the right place in the garden/yard. If he has an accident in the house, never punish him. Just completely ignore him and quietly & calmly clean up.

Is he chewing/biting you, or furniture? A crate is an excellent idea for when you have to have to leave him unsupervised, and can be a useful tool for housetraining too. If he's biting hands/arms/feet, squeal or yelp loudly when he bites (even if it doesn't hurt) and pull away from him or turn around. This is mimicking the reaction his littermates & mum would have, and teaches puppies all-important bite inhibition. It's not a quick cure, but persistance and consistency are the keys! Make sure all members of the family are using the same methods and never slip up.

Most of all, ENJOY him! He wil grow up fast and take lots of puppy pictures!!