First Things to Teach Your Puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. What are the first things to teach your puppy? Is there a right or a wrong place to start?

Remember that puppies aren't exactly a blank slate; genetics, early socialization, and maternal factors can all play a part in developing your puppy's unique personality. But while every puppy is unique, there are a few first things to teach your puppy that can be consistently helpful in easing their transition to your home and starting their training off right.

BONDING – YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD THINGS

With a new puppy, you might feel pressured to begin formal training right away. But while we're huge proponents of early learning, the primary focus in the first few weeks of your puppy should be building a mutual bond.

One of the first things to teach your puppy from an early age is that you are reliable, safe, and the source of tons of good things.

A few ideas to accomplish this:

• Have all family members take turns handling your dog's mealtimes and walks

• Find age-appropriate activities for younger children, such as helping pour food in the dog's bowl, or delivering them a treat by hand

• Reward the things your puppy does right – you can use a combination of food and verbal praise for this!

As long as you make it fun, training can be an excellent way to bond with your puppy, and you can start from a very early age.

SOCIALIZATION – THE WORLD IS A SAFE PLACE

The most critical socialization window for puppies closes at around 16 weeks of age, so socialization should be a primary focus in those first few weeks with your pup.

The goal of proper socialization isn't a large quantity of interactions between your puppy and new things; it's about the quality of those interactions.

Some ideas for people, places, and things to expose your puppy to in their critical socialization period:

• People of different ages, heights, and builds

• Friendly, healthy dogs of various sizes and coat types

• Different surfaces, such as slippery floors, grates, wet grass

• Bicycles, cars, scooters, wheelchairs and other moving stimuli

• Animals they may encounter during their adult life, such as cats, horses, and birds

• Noisy appliances like the vacuum, dishwasher, and washing machine

• Before all vaccinations, please avoid: dog parks, daycares, and heavily trafficked pet stores

If your dog seems nervous during your socialization outings, try hanging back at a distance from the action, letting your pup simply observe the environment. Pairing unfamiliar objects or animals with food can help create a positive association for your puppy – and that can last a lifetime!

POTTY TRAINING AND CRATE TRAINING

I've lumped these together because they go hand-in-hand as critical first things to teach your puppy; part of the potty training process will involve being able to safely confine your dog for age-appropriate periods.

The basic break down is:

1) Do not free-feed your puppy. Unless your veterinarian feels there is a medical reason requiring your pup to be free-fed, stick to a set feeding schedule.

2) Be aware of your pup's activities. If they have just eaten, drank water, and/or played, it may be time for a potty break.

3) Watch for sniffing, circling, or running into another room.

4) Do not give your puppy access to your entire house; baby gate off a room or two to start.

5) Your pup should be crated or penned anytime you cannot actively supervise them.

6) Interrupt accidents as they happen with a few claps, and get your pup immediately outside. Do not be scary or threatening with your interruption. Reward them for finishing outside.

7) If you miss an accident and find it later, clean it up and do not punish your puppy.

COMING WHEN CALLED

We love to teach coming when called from puppyhood, as pups tend to be naturally inclined to follow us when they're very young. Recall exercises are great for building a bond between you and your new pup and can help instill a lifelong love for training in your puppy.

Start working on your recall inside your home with minimal distractions.

• When your dog is nearby but not actively paying attention to you, say your dog's name, followed by your recall word. Example: "Fido, come!"

• Then, use a high-pitched voice and excited motions to encourage Fido to come. If you are starting at a short distance with no distractions, your dog will likely come without issue.

• The moment your dog arrives, reward with a high value treat.

If you have other people in your home, practice together by spacing out in your home or yard and taking turns calling Fido. To get your pup really excited about recalls, have one person gently hold Fido back while you begin calling to him, getting him revved up and excited for a few seconds before he is released to come to you.

Gradually build up this game in a more distracting environment, such as a backyard or other fenced area. If you're practicing recalls in an unfenced area, use a 40' long line as a safety precaution