- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Welcoming a new puppy into your home is hugely exciting. But these little furry bundles of joy bring with them lots of questions—especially training questions. What are the top things new puppies should learn? At what age should specific training take place? How many times a day should I train my puppy? Should they reach certain milestones by a certain age?
We spoke with Elizabeth Greenberg, owner of Mind Body Paws and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), and Denise Owens, dog trainer and owner of Dogs and Denise. These pros have shared their insight into puppy training, what puppies need to know, and when and how often you should train your pup.
What Does a Puppy Need To Learn?
Owens suggests thinking of your puppy’s training list in terms of what they need to know to be human. “I feel it’s important for puppies to learn how to be human because all they know how to do is dog,” she explains.
According to Greenberg and Owens, the top things a puppy needs to learn are:
- A daily routine or schedule
- Household manners, including where to potty and what’s a toy
- Foundational manners, including rules about jumping, using teeth, and going to their spot
- Guarding behaviors, usually involving cues like “leave it” and “drop it”
- Basic obedience skills, including name recognition, coming when called, and waiting when asked
- Bite inhibition
- Socialization
- How to be alone
- Body handling (also known as sensitivity training)
Remember, while puppies have a lot to learn, so do their human parents. You’ll want to pay close attention to how your dog is trying to communicate with you. “It’s equally important for the humans to understand the puppy’s communication (non-verbal signals, verbal signals, etc.) and what the puppy is trying to tell them,” explains Owens. “Behavior is communication.”
Here’s how to start teaching your puppy the most important skills they need to learn.
Potty training
Teaching a puppy how to use the bathroom outside is an essential skill. Here are the key components:
- Celebrate and reward when your pup potties in the correct location.
- If your pup goes in the wrong location and you SEE it happen, calmly interrupt them and immediately bring them to the correct location. If you do not see your pup having an accident, clean it up and hope to catch the next one. No amount of scolding will communicate what you did not like about their choice of toilet.
- Supervise, supervise, supervise! The more accidents your pup has that you don’t see happen, the more they learn that sometimes it’s okay to go in the house.
Daily routine
Whether you work in the home or out, or you wake up early some mornings and late others, it’s important to start teaching your puppy a daily schedule for them to get used to.
Dogs tend to like schedules and routines because they help make them feel more secure. Teaching them a daily schedule will help with potty training, socialization, playtime, and how to be alone. It should also include teaching them where they sleep, where they eat, and which toys are theirs.
Manuel-F-O via iStock
Guarding
Puppies have a natural inclination to protect the things they love, including food, toys, and friends.
Taking objects away from your puppy when they are in the middle of enjoying them only teaches them to guard these objects, not to give them up.
Instead, try redirecting your dog to another object in order to remove the first or trade them for something of high value.
Bite inhibition
Puppies explore the world with their mouths, which means those razor-sharp little teeth are never too far away. If your pup gets forceful with their nipping, let them know.
Exclaim “ouch” and remove the body part they are chewing on for about 30 seconds.
If that doesn’t calm them, after your next “ouch,” completely separate yourself from your pup for 30 seconds to see if they are willing to calm down.
Basic obedience training
Puppies can learn all of the basic cues that older dogs can—from “down” to “shake” to “roll over.” Start with the two foundational behaviors of “focus” and “sit.”
To build focus, try the name game:
- Say your dog’s name in a happy tone of voice.
- When your puppy turns toward you, say “Yes!” and reward them.
- With a little practice, your dog will learn not only their name but that when you call them, you require their attention.
To teach sit:
- Begin by holding your hand flat with your palm facing up. In the tips of your fingers, hold a tiny treat right at your puppy’s nose.
- Slowly raise the hand above your puppy’s head. For their nose to follow the treat, it is most natural for them to lower their body into a sit.
- As soon as that butt hits the ground, say “Yes!” and release the treat.
- Try this five times, then try the same thing with no treat in your hand, rewarding when your puppy does the right thing.
Leash manners
Puppies aren’t born knowing how to walk on a leash. Teaching them how to behave on a leash will take practice and patience. Until they get the gist of walking on a leash, start in a place with few distractions, like indoors. Only once they’ve got the basics down inside should you move to the backyard or the street.
Using positive reinforcement is also essential when teaching leash skills.
How to be alone
It’s important to teach your puppy how to be alone. The time they can be alone will depend on their age and potty skills.
When you first start, you’ll want to ensure they are in a safe area, like a crate (if they’ve been crate trained), playpen, or dog-safe room. Step out of view from for a few minutes at a time, gradually extending your distance and time to get them used to being alone.
Body handling
Body handling or sensitivity training is important to teach puppies, especially when it comes to grooming and behavior around guests. Petting, bathing, brushing, and clipping your dog’s nails all fall under this category. Like the other essential puppy skills, this will take time and patience, and it’s best to start in slow increments and build up.
sanjagrujic via iStock
Socialization
Teaching your puppy how to interact with the outside world is important, especially in the first few months of life. “As a pet guardian, it’s critical that you socialize your puppy appropriately,” said Greenberg. “Unlike the human term, socialization is not hanging out with other dogs, but rather introducing your puppy to all the things they will encounter regularly.”
Though some puppies may be more apprehensive, there are ways you can get them acclimated to the world. To help socialize your puppy, Greenberg recommends the following:
- Having your dog meet people of all ages, genders, and appearances (children, individuals in hats or glasses).
- Familiarizing them with various sounds (doorbell, garbage truck, vacuum), other animals like cats and birds, and different surfaces (ramps, wet grass).
- Practice handling their body gently—ears, paws, face—to ensure they’re comfortable during vet and grooming appointments.
- Pay close attention to how they react to these new experiences. This will help you help them work through anything that might be challenging or unsettling.
The Ultimate Puppy Training Guide By Age
So now you know what your puppy needs to know, but when do they need to know these things by? According to Greenberg, there really isn’t a mandatory schedule you need to follow. “Every puppy learns at their own pace,” explains Greenberg. “What a puppy is capable of will depend on the number of training sessions, frequency, and training method.”
When should you start training your puppy?
According to Greenberg, the right time to start training your puppy is when you first bring them home. “As soon as your puppy steps into your home, the learning journey begins,” she says. “Consistency and clear communication of rules create a nurturing environment for them to thrive. Start training now to lay the foundations for a well-mannered dog in the future.”
Another benefit to training your puppy immediately is that they won’t have time to become accustomed to unwanted behaviors. “Puppies are like sponges, ready to soak up the behaviors you want them to learn,” explains Greenberg. “It’s crucial to start teaching them early on, as the longer they practice undesirable behaviors, the harder it becomes to break that unwanted habit.”
While puppies learn at their own pace, below is a general timeline of skills they should know by a certain age. Keep in mind, though, that this varies greatly from puppy to puppy.
| Puppy Training Timeline | |
| 8-10 Weeks |
|
| 10-12 Weeks |
|
| 3-4 months |
|
| 6 months+ |
|
How Many Times a Day Should I Train My Puppy?
Owens and Greenberg recommend training in short yet frequent doses for the best results. You can integrate training opportunities naturally in the routine of your day.
“I advise training off and on during the day as the opportunity arises,” said Owens. “Work on ‘stay’ or ‘place’ during meal times. Work on greeting people when coming home or when we’re on walks. Work on ‘wait’ at doorways when going in and out.”
“Short training sessions are essential because your puppy has a short attention span,” agrees Greenberg. “Try to integrate training throughout the day, like asking your puppy to sit before opening the door or putting on their leash.”
Other Puppy Training Tips
Owens and Greenberg recommend positive reinforcement when it comes to puppy training methods. “There is a ton of research to support that positive reinforcement methods are the quickest and most effective way to train your puppy,” explains Greenberg.
Owens recommends pairing lure training and positive reinforcement to help get the outcome you want. “Puppies have no idea how to human or what behaviors to offer us that are appropriate,” says Owens. “How do we ‘lure’ the puppy into the behavior/position we’d like the puppy to adopt? All puppies are different! Using the same marking, reinforcement, and release words for all the foundational manners and obedience requests goes a long way.”
At the end of the day, remember: your puppy doesn’t have to learn everything. What’s more important is that your pup learns how to live happily, comfortably, and confidently in your specific life, whatever that looks like.
