The new year has arrived, and with it, many families are welcoming their Christmas puppies into their homes. While having a puppy is an incredibly exciting experience, it also comes with challenges that might make you question your decision. But don’t worry—there are proven ways to ensure a smooth transition and raise a well-behaved puppy.
That’s right—your puppy doesn’t come with a manual or a preset list of good behaviors. They are a blank slate, ready for you to guide them. Depending on how you approach training, you’ll either have a calm, well-behaved companion or a little troublemaker!
In this blog, we’ll explore key steps to raising a well-behaved puppy. Let’s dive in.
Step One: Prepare for Your Puppy
Puppies have needs similar to a human child, and preparation is key. From supplies to routines, being ready from day one helps reduce stress, build good habits, and ensure your puppy settles in quickly.
Essential Supplies You’ll Need:
1. Crate:
Provides a safe space for rest and is essential for potty training.
2. Leash/Harness:
A properly fitting harness and a 6-ft leash for safety, potty breaks, and walks.
3. Training Treats:
Small, soft treats your puppy can chew quickly for immediate rewards.
4. Food/Water Bowls:
Stainless steel or ceramic options are best for durability and cleanliness.
5. Puppy Food:
Choose a high-quality food with whole meat as the first ingredient and minimal fillers like corn, wheat, or gluten.
6. Toys:
Include a variety of chew toys, soft toys, and enrichment activities like puzzle feeders.
Puppy-Proof Your Home:
Think of puppy-proofing like baby-proofing—get ahead of their curiosity and ensure your home is safe with this checklist ✅
1. Create a Safe Space:
Designate an area with a playpen, gated room, or crate.
This space will act as their "safe zone" when you cannot supervise them.
2. Remove Hazards:
Keep electrical cords, household chemicals, and small objects out of reach.
Use covered trash cans and secure dangerous items.
3. Protect Your Valuables:
Keep shoes, remote controls, and children’s toys out of reach.
Limit access to furniture when unsupervised to prevent chewing.
4. Think Like a Puppy:
Get down on the floor and look for hazards from your puppy's perspective.
Remember, puppy-proofing is an ongoing process as your puppy grows and explores.
Step Two: Socialization
Socialization, socialization, socialization! This is one of the most critical parts of raising a well-behaved puppy. The prime socialization window is between 8–16 weeks, and what happens during this time will shape your puppy’s behavior for life.
At around 8 weeks, puppies experience fear for the first time, and unfamiliar experiences can be overwhelming. Proper socialization ensures they grow into confident, well-behaved dogs.
Key Socialization Focus Areas:
1. People:
Introduce your puppy to adults, children, and people wearing hats or uniforms.
2. Animals:
Allow safe, positive interactions with vaccinated, well-behaved dogs.
3. Environments:
Expose your puppy to places like parks, sidewalks, and pet-friendly stores.
4. Sounds:
Gradually introduce noises like vacuums, doorbells, and traffic.
5. Handling:
Get your puppy comfortable with having their paws, ears, and mouth touched.
Keep It Positive: Use treats and praise to reward calm behavior. If your puppy seems overwhelmed, step back and try again later.
Quality over Quantity: Thoughtful socialization builds trust and confidence, laying the foundation for a well-behaved adult dog.
Step Three: Basic Obedience
Training isn’t just about teaching tricks—it’s about creating a foundation for good behavior. Here are six essential cues every puppy should learn:
Essential Puppy Training Behaviors
1. Crate Training:
A crate is a safe space for rest, potty training, and downtime.
The crate should be the giver of all good things, new bones, meals, and enrichment activities such as lick mats.
2. Attention (Name Recognition):
Teach your puppy to look at you when you say their name.
Reward eye contact to build focus and engagement.
3. Sit:
A fundamental behavior that promotes calmness and impulse control.
Reward your puppy for sitting before meals, at doors, and during greetings.
4. Touch:
This versatile cue can be used for recall, redirection, and building engagement.
5. Leave It:
Prevents your puppy from picking up unwanted or dangerous items.
Reward them for ignoring the object and redirect attention.
6. Recall (Come):
Teach your puppy to come when called reliably.
Reward them generously to make coming to you a positive experience.
For detailed training guides, check out our PDF training plans on our Etsy shop.
Step Four: Potty Training
Potty training is one of the first—and most important—lessons your puppy will learn. It’s also one of the most common reasons dogs are returned to shelters, which is why consistency, patience, and routine are key to success.
1. Create a Routine
Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after meals, after naps, and before bedtime.
Stick to a consistent schedule to help predict when your puppy needs to go.
Use the same spot outside each time to reinforce the behavior.
2. Supervise Closely
Keep a close eye on your puppy when indoors.
Look for signs they need to potty, such as sniffing, circling, whining, or heading toward the door.
If you can’t supervise, use a crate or playpen to prevent accidents.
3. Reward Success
Praise and give your puppy a treat immediately after they potty in the correct spot.
Timing is crucial—reward them right after they finish, not after they come back inside.
4. Avoid Punishments
Never scold or punish your puppy for accidents. Puppies do not understand “right” or “wrong”—they simply have to go.
Clean accidents thoroughly with an enzyme-based cleaner to eliminate odors move on!
5. Be Patient and Consistent
Potty training takes time and commitment. Accidents will happen—it’s part of the learning process.
Celebrate small successes and stay consistent with your routine.
Step Five: Preventing Common Behavioral Issues
Puppies are naturally curious and energetic, but some common behaviors can become problematic if not addressed early. Here’s how to handle four of the most common challenges:
1. Biting and Nipping
Why it Happens: Puppies explore the world with their mouths and often bite during play or while teething.
How to Address It:
Redirect biting to chew toys or frozen teething treats.
Stop playtime immediately if biting becomes incessant or they wont redirect.
Avoid punishment, yelling, or tapping their nose, as this can create fear or escalate the behavior.
2. Jumping Up on People
Why it Happens: Puppies jump to seek attention or out of excitement.
How to Address It:
Teach your puppy to sit for greetings instead of jumping.
Ignore jumping and reward calm behavior when all four paws are on the ground.
Use a leash or baby gate to prevent access to people if needed.
Make sure everyone who meets the puppy follows the same rules
3. Barking
Why it Happens: Puppies bark to express excitement, fear, boredom, or to get attention.
How to Address It:
Identify the cause of the barking (boredom, fear, or excitement).
Avoid yelling—it can increase excitement or fear.
Reward your puppy when they stop barking or remain quiet in a triggering situation.
If your puppy is barking out of fear, focus on proper socialization.
4. Separation Anxiety
Why it Happens: Puppies are not used to being alone after leaving their littermates, and sudden isolation can be stressful.
How to Prevent It:
Start with short periods of separation and gradually increase the time.
Using calming aid such as a snuggle puppy, this has a heart beat and heat pack to simulate littermates.
Provide enrichment toys, like Kong's filled with peanut butter, to keep them engaged.
Keep departures and arrivals low-key to avoid creating excitement around coming and going.
Step Six: Mental & Physical Enrichment
Enrichment isn’t just about physical exercise—it’s also about engaging your puppy's brain. Both are equally important and play a huge role in preventing boredom-related problem behaviors like chewing, excessive barking, and digging.
1. Mental Enrichment
Mental enrichment keeps your puppy’s brain active and helps prevent unwanted behaviors. Some simple ways to engage their mind include:
Puzzle Toys: Hide treats inside interactive toys to encourage problem-solving.
Lick Mats: Spread peanut butter or yogurt on a textured mat to keep your puppy focused and calm.
Scent Games: Hide treats in a small area of your house and let your puppy sniff them out for mental stimulation.
Training Sessions: Short, fun training sessions teach behaviors and keep your puppy mentally stimulated. Yes, that’s right—training is enrichment!
2. Physical Enrichment
Puppies, like adult dogs, need physical exercise to release pent-up energy and stay healthy. Some examples include:
Tug-of-War: A fun way to provide your puppy with physical exercise and an outlet for their biting desires.
Fetch: Great for tiring out energetic puppies while reinforcing skills like recall, and drop.
Flirt Pole: A cat-toy-like device that allows your puppy to chase, bite and pounce in a productive way.
These activities should typically last 10–15 minutes, depending on your puppy's energy level.
Conclusion
Raising a well-behaved puppy takes time, patience, and consistency. From foundational behaviors to proper socialization and enrichment, each step builds a stronger bond and a more confident puppy.
Remember: Training isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Enjoy every milestone and celebrate the little wins.
If you need help with your puppy, contact us:
📱 301-231-1907
📝 Sign Up Form on our website: 👉🏼 https://www.bestbuddydogtrainer.com/sign-up
Your puppy’s journey to becoming a well-behaved companion starts today!
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