Q: Yikes! I brought home my basset hound puppy at 5 weeks of age. I was not aware that this is too early until I read your column. One problem I am noticing is that she prefers to chew on my hands rather than on her toys. I am discouraging this behavior, but now I am concerned that she will not outgrow it because I separated her from the litter at such a young age. She is mine now, so what other problems can I anticipate and how do I correct them? -- S.K., via e-mail

A: No reputable, knowledgeable breeder would have sold you a puppy this young. Pet experts have known for decades the importance of leaving a puppy with littermates at least until the age of 7 weeks, so the babies can learn critical socialization skills from each other. Puppies who are denied that extra time with mom and siblings may never fully understand the importance of keeping teeth to themselves and the nuances of body language so important to a well-mannered dog.

I'm happy you're committed to your puppy now, even though her start in life was not ideal. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist who can help you work with your puppy on bite inhibition and socialization.

When your puppy starts chewing on you, say "ouch" in a loud, high-pitched tone and immediately switch your puppy over to a chew toy. Praise her when she takes the substitute item. Never let your puppy play with your hands or any part of your body (clothes count, too!). When teeth touch skin, there should be one message: Game over.

Use toys to engage your youngster, allowing her to learn that toys are acceptable to chew on, always. (This will also help spare your shoes from being chewed.)

Look for places with lots of people but few, if any, other dogs to socialize your young puppy before all her vaccinations are complete.

Keep lots of treats, and encourage strangers to give them to her gently. Sign up for a puppy-socialization class for you and her to start immediately after her vaccinations are complete. These often have supervised puppy playtimes to help her learn to interact properly with other dogs.

An excellent resource for raising a well-socialized, well-mannered puppy is the Ultimate Puppy Tool Kit (www.urbanpuppy.com, $18). The kit provides a poster of puppy development along with week-by-week details of what a youngster needs to know at every stage.

By the way, few puppy problems are "outgrown" -- they almost always take time, training and patience to resolve, no matter where your puppy comes from.

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