Puppyhood is relatively short, and the available training time is accordingly precious. It is much easier to prevent bad behaviors than to fix them after they’ve developed. So these leads to one of the most common questions we receive:
When can you start the puppy training?
First Phase of Puppy Training- 0-8 weeks
Most puppies stay with their littermates until around 8 weeks. This interaction is very important to their development. Puppies that are removed too early tend from mom and siblings to have less self-control, particularly with their jaws. So in this case, getting the dog earlier is not better. Mom and the other puppies teach a lot of important lessons.
A good breeder or rescue foster home should start the training before you get the dog. Most important is socialization, which means positive exposure to lots of different things. House-training can also commence in these first weeks, although it is not realistic to expect a puppy to “hold it” for very long.
New Home Phase of Puppy Training – roughly starting at 8 weeks
You can (and should) start the training from the minute you bring the puppy home. (If you’re reading this before bringing home the puppy — double high five! You’re awesome.)
This does not mean Day 1 needs to include “down stays” or any complicated behaviors, but you do want to carefully manage the environment from the minute the puppy enters the house. This means no free roaming without eyes directly on the pup. Treat the puppy like you would a purse or wallet at a European train station — let it leave your sight and bad things will happen.
House training your puppy can start immediately.
The fewer accidents, the better. Success in this regard mostly comes down to how closely the dog is managed during the initial days. Pups need to go every hour or so, and after just about any activity. (Yes, dealing with a puppy will feel like a full-time job in those first few weeks. You can make this more manageable by immediately emphasizing down time and nap time. Puppies should be sleeping a ton.)
Start teaching basic behaviors like “sit” and “touch” and “name” by having the dog work for its meals.
This has the extra benefit of providing mental stimulation and tiring the dog out. It also improves focus and attention. These characteristics will be worth a ton when the dog hits adolescence.
Puppy handling exercises should also be prioritized from the start.
The puppy needs to learn that things like restraint, paw grabs and people’s hands approaching are not things to be avoided or feared. Again, these activities can be paired with food, praise and play to ensure positive associations. The goal is to prevent fear and resistance down the road, not to force the puppy to confront fear at this early age.
A huge emphasis should be placed on puppy socialization.
Jot down everything you want the dog to be able to do throughout its life. Then set out to get your dog lots of positive exposure to these things during these first 12 weeks. (Read more here for a vet behaviorist recommendations for what this can look like.) This means meeting lots of different people if you want him to behave around new people. Sounds and surfaces should also be gradually introduced. Keep in mind that these interactions need to be positive. If the dog is thrown into an overly frightening situation he can end up with a life-long phobia.
The prime socialization window closes by 4 months. At that point, you’re playing catch up — something closer to behavior modification.
Should I worry about my puppy catching diseases?
Yes, but not to the extreme extent that the puppy gets no exposure during these key weeks. Definitely avoid high traffic places like dog parks or pet store floors that have lots of unfamiliar (and potentially un-vaccinated dogs). These diseases are real and they are terrible, but they shouldn’t be the only consideration.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior notes that “Behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age.” Thus, “Veterinarians specializing in behavior recommend that owners take advantage of every safe opportunity to expose young puppies to the great variety of stimuli that they will experience in their lives. Enrolling in puppy classes prior to three months of age can be an excellent means of improving training, strengthening the human-animal bond, and socializing puppies in an environment where risk of illness can be minimized.”
I was told to wait to train until the dog got older. Have you heard this?
Usually this is well-intentioned advice that is also misguided. Here are the most common reasons and misunderstandings we encounter:
- People trying to provide “puppy moral support.” This is the honorable acknowledgement that puppies are tremendously hard work and that some of these development stages need to be endured. (That’s a puppy for you! is a common refrain you’ll hear.) It is true that training will not simply stop all annoying behaviors immediately. Lassie wasn’t born fully formed. BUT… Puppies will only outgrow the bad habits if they’re also guided in the right direction. Patience is a fantastic virtue; passivity and wishful thinking are dangerous.
- Medical reasons. Puppies immune systems are still developing, and young puppies have not had their full run of vaccines. Some veterinary professionals are so worried that people will ignore the warnings and throw their puppies into unsanitary areas that they recommend keeping the dog in near-quarantine. Being safe with your puppy is wise, but this is no reason to completely avoid puppy training.
- Certain training tools and behaviors are not appropriate for young puppies. This includes prong collars, pinch collars, and remote collars. And strict heels, or high jumps. Trainers who only use these tools might recommend waiting until 6 months to start the training (or their class). A better solution if that’s your intended direction, however, is to start training the basics immediately (with a heavy emphasis on food, play and praise), and then add in those tools at a later stage.
- Puppy training sessions do need to be shorter, both due to attention span and because we don’t want to put too much stress on growing joints.
OMG… Now you have me freaked out. Have I totally ruined my dog because I didn’t do all of this?
You can exhale. Probably not. Do your best with the time you have. Mistakes are how we learn, and anyone who’s open to change and seeking improvement should be commended. It’s really never too late to start training.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just start with a simple change. Build off that momentum. Things will get better. You’ve already taken a big step in the right direction by setting out to learn more!
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Nate Hess is the owner of Dogspring Training, which provides dog training and behavior consultation services in Fresno, Clovis, Madera and surrounding areas. He is a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy and Stanford University, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and the International Association of Animal Behavioral Consultants (IAABC), and an evaluator for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program. He also consults with dog rescues across the country.