Johnny, Johnny, Johnny!

A dog will do it's business where ever his owner tells him to do it. If he is messing on your rug the dog must have missed receiving the "memo".

Dogs have one primary goal...please the master. The problem people have is properly communicating with them.

Dogs can EVENTUALLY be trained to do things with a voice command, but not right away. However, dogs and all animals understand the universal language ... tone. So to start with varying your tone when communicating with your dog. Light tone most of the time to greet and play with them. Only use a deeper stern tone to emphasize your command e.g. "stay".

Here are the steps I do to train mine or anyone else's dogs:

1) Get the dog's love and respect. Use a soft tone talking with animal and play with it in a manner it wants to play. i.e. PLAY his game!

2) Identify where the dog sleeps and make this space as small as reasonable. Depending on the size and temperament of the dog this could be a cardboard box or dog crate or cordoned off kitchen or back porch area.

3) Identify where you want the dog to do his business. e.g. on newspaper in the house or outside on the grass.

4) Identify what food treat you will use as a reward for good behavior. Must be something he/she will eat anytime. Does not need to be a large piece of food.

5) Place the dog in his sleep area at night.

6) Early in the morning before dog wakes up pick it up and take it directly to the "doggy business area". After placing him down communicate a phrase you will use for the next 10-20 years in order to communicate to the dog to do his business on the paper or grass now. The dog might want to play with you first. Play with it briefly, and then focus it back on the "business".
We have used the phrase "go do jobbies" with our dogs but it could be anything you want. BUT ALWAYS say it so it is reinforced. Very helpful when your on a driving vacation with your dog! After he goes, GIVE HIM A TREAT and praise him.

7) As he get's progressively better widen his sleep and play area in the house.

Identify who in the house will be the "pack leader". Dog's will always obey pack leader the best so have him/her do the initial training. This is the person who loves and respects the dog the most and vis versa with the dog. If it turns out to be your younger daughter then she get's the job!

It should take a few days to have 80% trained!

Good luck!