When bringing home your first puppy, you're met with excitement, cuddles and puppy kisses — followed by chewed-up slippers, little accidents and wondering, “why won't they just sit when I ask?”
I remember when I first brought home my puppy, Max. He was a whirlwind of floppy ears and feet everywhere full of curiosity. But while he was cute, I learned pretty quickly that puppies don't show up knowing the rules of the house. Training is not a pleasant-to-do, instead it is the basis for a happy house and relationship for years to come.
Through some trial and error, sitting on the internet and reading (and some guidance from a puppy trainer), I've figured out some things that work when it comes to basic puppy training, which breeds learn better than others and why I learned the secret ingredient you don't see on checklists - namely, patience.
If you are thinking of starting on this journey or just starting out, here are a few things I wish someone would have gently suggested before Max madly came bounding through the door for the first time.
Start Being Proactive and Bill Gates Once Said "It All Starts Now!"
One big mistake - one I nearly made - is that some people want to wait until the puppies are older to start training. The truth of the matter is that the day they come home, they are ready to begin learning.
Dr. Rachel Adams a veterinary behaviourist states: "Puppies learn all the time, and every interaction is a learning experience, a positive one or a negative one. You can communicate gentle boundaries before they 'go to class'."
When Max was just fifteen weeks old, we started with some simple things:
His name: I said it with happiness and rewarded him for looking at me.
Come: Calling him, even from a short distance and rewarding praise every time.
Sit: I used a treat to lure his bottom to the floor.
Again, in the beginning, we weren't focused on getting it right. We were focused on him understanding that focusing on me was fun and rewarding.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Puppy brains are like that of toddlers: they have energy but lack capacity to be attentive. Five minutes of training time is sometimes all Max could manage before he would wander off.
I have read professional trainers suggest:
- Multiple short sessions (3–5 minutes) through the day.
- Ending on some success, no matter how small.
- Playing with the dog as a reward, a small break, or both.
At first, I attempted to do fifteen minutes and ended up frustrated when Max seemed disinterested. By scaling back, training felt lighter and more fun, and she progressed quickly.
Positive reinforcement really works
Dogs, and certainly puppies, learn through intrinsic rewards (treats, praise, following you to play).
Punishing behaviours can confuse puppies and create anxiety. For example, I remember when Max peed on our rug, I raised my voice (for that I am not proud). Instead of "learning" not to pee in the house, he simply became anxious that I was approaching him.
With some training, I began to calmly redirect him towards the garden and rewarded with praise when he went out. The result? A happier puppy and fewer accidents.
Socialization: more than just puppy playdates
Socialization is something you are going to hear a lot about - and it involves more than just meeting other dogs. It entails gently exposing your puppy to:
New people... tall (or short), with (or without) hats, carrying bags or riding bicycles.
Sounds... vacuum cleaners, door bells, traffic, sirens.
Surfaces... grass, tiles, carpet, wooden stairs.
Dr. Adams articulates: "the process goal, is to assist your puppy in growing up confident (not fearfully of everything new)"
For Max this type of early socialization was just walks in busy parks, meeting the neighbours, and calmly watching as cyclists and buses passed by from a relatively safe distance.
House training: patience, praise, and routine
This is usually the first training priority of any new puppy owner. Here is what worked for us:
We took Max outside every morning, and after meals, and naps, and every 1-2 hours.
We picked one "bathroom spot", this seemed to help him understand.
We gave calm praise immediately after he finished (not after we were back in the house).
When there was an accident in the house, we used an enzymatic cleaner to completely erase the smells (this one worked great for us https://amzn.to/4eCyAuZ ) .
It took about six weeks for Max to become mostly accident free; some puppies take more time, the main thing is consistency and patience.
Teaching basic cues: sit, stay, come, leave it.
These are not simply cute tricks - they can keep your puppy safe!
Sit: Easiest cue for most puppies. Have a treat above their head and move the treat backwards until their bottom touches the ground and you say "sit" and reward.
Stay: Get them started with very short stays, (1 second), and gradually increase the time and distance.
Come: When you call your puppy, always use a happy tone of voice, reward generously with a treat, and never use "come" before doing something your puppy does not like, (like a bath).
Leave it: Hold treat in your closed fist. Your puppy will sniff, paw, even nibble. The moment they stop, say "leave it" and reward by giving them a treat from your other hand.
Trainer Sarah Johnson, CPDT-KA explains; "Be consistent, and create a situation in which you are training each day - at mealtime, when you are on walks, when someone comes over for a visit (not just during formal sit down training sessions.)"
Breeds that are easier to train (and why)
There are some breeds that are stereotypically called easy learners, and some that can be called stubborn, or independent. It doesn't mean "smart" or "not smart", just that breeds have different motivations.
- Generally easier to train:
- Labrador Retriever & Golden Retriever: Food driven, eager to please.
- Poodle & Poodle mixes: Very smart and generally responsive.
- Border Collie: Incredibly easy to train, but also very high energy - need to have some way to stimulate their brain.
- Papillon & Shetland Sheepdog: Small, but very fast learner.
- Breeds that are more independent (some independent breeds may still be willing to be trained, but may take more patience):
- Afghan Hound, Basenji, Shiba Inu, Chow Chow: generally having independent personalities - often compared to cat-like behaviour.
- Scent hounds like Beagles: easily distracted by smells.
Of course individual puppies matter, more than breed alone. Puppies are always learning every minute. If they don't "get it", it usually means we need to change what we are doing.
Common mistakes (that I made!)
Looking back, here are the things I know I should have changed:
Getting annoyed and showing it.
Expecting too much, too soon.
Inconsistent rules (some days I let Max on the sofa, some days scolding him.).
Only training in the house, not off-leash in new locations.
Puppy's learn every minute. So when they don't "get it", more often than not it means we need to change what we are doing instead.
Crate Training and Time Alone
Teaching a puppy that it is ok to be alone, is the beginning of preventing separation anxiety.
For Max his crate became a safe comfortable place for him and it always had comfy bedding and toys.
We practiced with short absences - I would do something like step out for a minute and then return. Each time, I would increase the time away. We didn't leave with drama and come back with drama. The crate was not a punishment and sometimes he would go into the crate on his own for a nap.
When to call a professional
If your puppy shows fearful behaviours, aggressive behaviours or any behaviours that concern you, calling a certified trainer or veterinary behaviourist as soon as possible could save you months of stress.
For example, Max began developing a form of guarding when it came to his food bowl. With the help of a professional, we were able to do a couple of simple exercises with Max that lessened his anxiety and built his trust. Within weeks we were able to return to peaceful mealtimes.
Training as bonding
Training is not just the acquisition of obedience; it is a shared language. While Max was learning words and gestures, I was also learning how to read his body language: the slight head tilt when he looked confused, and the tail wag when he finally seemed to understand.
Interacting in this way with Max developed a bond between us that was deeper than I anticipated.
Keep it fun
There are times when I was probably taking it too seriously, wanting specific “performance” - but have more fun with it, it really works best when it seems like play. We had fun mixing obedience training with hide and seek, tug or short fetch games. Looking at the joy in Max's face always reminded why we were doing it.
Final thoughts: every puppy is different
Puppies are going to challenge us to varying degrees in their training. Basic training takes a lot of time, patience and hundreds of treats - but it also builds your puppy's confidence, keeps your puppy safe on walks and makes your life easier.
Some puppies easily go through all the stages of training, others - like Max - teach us more about love, patience and laughter than we ever thought was possible.
Whether your puppy is a Border Collie or a hard-headed terrier mix, remember, training is not about perfection. It's about growing, building trust together, and enjoying the process (muddy paws and chewed up shoes included).