You could already take a more firm control when the pup appears to be comfortable being restrained. Tug gently at the leash when he wanders to places that are not good for him. Be gentle when doing so to minimize the threat as much as possible. Eventually the pup will not mind being restrained. If in your judgment the time is good, that would be the time to take the pup out. They need more than a cozy place to stay; they need thorough attention and care. Unless you are ready to fully commit yourself to the rehabilitation of a puppy, you should settle for a more mature dog. Having said that, mature dogs in animal shelters are the ideal dogs to consider for adoption. You already have everything you need to know about the potential dog. In antiquity, dogs that are near human settlements eat human refuse that resulted in shorter fangs, limp ears and smaller brains compared to wolves because these attributes are not being used anymore and has become unnecessary. Another dog trait not found in wolves is tails that curl upwards and paws that are half the size of those that wolves have. Reward the dog with treats to encourage better behavior. Bring treats with you and make the treats visible to the dog. Use the treats to pull the dog towards you and to walk with you. There is a good analogy to this. People are motivated in the work place by the sticks and carrots approach. Even when employees do not feel up to doing a particular job, when the reward far outweighs the risk, people respond. However, you cannot build a doghouse smaller than this: Height: to determine a comfortable height that is also enough to insure good air circulation, add 9 inches to the height of a fully-grown dog of the same breed. Length: to determine the shortest length for a doghouse, add one and one half foot from the length of the dog starting from the tip of the nose to its rump. Prior to going to the animal shelter, you have thought about the dog's breed, dog's size, the dog's temperament, in fact even the color of the dog's fur. Don t forget these things when looking for the pet you would like to bring home. If you think you would easily fall for a dog, ask your wife, your brother, or a friend to tag along at the animal shelter.