22 Tips for New Puppy Owners
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
These are the same tips that I give all my clients when they hire me for the Puppy Training Program. It's not necessary to know the reason why we suggest each tip; just follow them to get the results you want.
Use a slip lead (one-piece leash) in the house at all times to prevent potty accidents, jumping on people, jumping on furniture, and counter surfing.
Keep your eyes on the puppy at all times. You would not leave a baby unsupervised out of the crib, so don’t do that with your puppy
Your puppy should NOT be free to roam around the house. They will get into trouble, chew on furniture, and potty on your carpet or floor.
Use a crate to confine the puppy if you cannot keep your eyes on them. Failure ot use a crate will result in the puppy learning unwanted behaviors for life.
DO NOT repeat commands to your puppy. This confuses them and shows your lack of leadership skills.
If your puppy is hyper and overstimulated, STOP TALKING TO THEM. Chit-chatting with your puppy only makes them more hyper.
Make sure your puppy is getting 16-18 hours of sleep per day.
DO NOT free-feed your puppy. Set the food bowl down. If they don’t eat it, take the bowl up until their next meal.
Give your puppy 1oz of water per pound of body weight until they are completely potty trained. Use a measuring cup. Spread the water out throughout the day in even increments.
DO NOT leave toys all through the house for them to use. Get the toys off the floor, and give them one to play with at a time. Rotate the toys.
If your puppy is play biting, STOP OVERSTIMULATING THEM.
At four months old, get your puppy into a daycare at least two times per week. You will thank me for this tip later.
The first thing to teach your puppy is to stay on their bed and do nothing but sleep or chew on a bully stick. This controls their space in the house and creates a sense of calm.
DO NOT repeat commands to your puppy. I know I added this twice. It’s a very important tip.
If you notice your puppy becoming bored, remember that they need exercise, mental stimulation, enrichment, socialization, and play. In that order. Most new puppy owners focus only on play and affection.
Keep training sessions short. 5 minutes at first is enough. Make it productive. Include multiple short training sessions per day.
DO NOT overuse hte puppies name. Calling them by their name 100 times per day does not teach them their name. It only reduces its value.
STOP saying “no” to your puppy all the time. This does not teach them anything. “No” is not a cue.
When starting leash training, teach your puppy to go outside on your driveway on the leash, and sit or lie down and do nothing. They can observe, but not react. This is socialization.
Focus on stillness. Teaching a puppy “down-stay” (to lie down and stay) will prevent almost every unwanted behavior, such as jumping on people, jumping on furniture, barking, running to the front door, reacting to distractions, and having potty accidents.
Create Structure. Make your house calm like a yoga studio. This is where the puppy can relax and decompress. The backyard is the play area. Out front and on the field trips are the training areas.
Follow a strict schedule, as outlined in my books.
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