Dogs have always lived in packs. When a dog is adopted, they become part of your pack where there is only one leader (in this case you). The purpose of these exercises is to establish rules and to keep the social order in the pack. They are especially important when starting any training program.
Exercises to perform:
As the dog learns to obey and follow the leader's rules, you can allow him certain privileges such as free rein of the house when you are gone. If the dog demonstrates any unacceptable behavior when given any privileges, you should take a step back in training and remove the privilege until the dog re-learns the correct behavior. Only permit privileges that will not interfere with the dog's good behavior.
Important rules to follow: