When to Start Training a Puppy: 5 Tips

Dog owners should start puppy training as early as seven weeks of age. In the past, many professional dog trainers and veterinarians suggested that pet parents wait to train young puppies until they received all of their vaccinations. However, this meant that many new puppies began obedience training after a critical period for socialization in their lives, which typically began when they were three weeks old and ended at four months of age.

Most behavior problems—including fear, aggression, and avoidance—take root at eight weeks of age, and make the training process a challenge for new dog owners. As a result, many trainers, vets, and animal behaviorists encourage pet parents to begin puppy socialization at seven to eight weeks of age, as long as the dog has no health concerns. Training in basic commands and leash manners can also begin at this early stage in the puppy’s life; more complex challenges, such as crate training and potty training, may follow between the ages of ten to sixteen weeks.

Dog owners may follow a training schedule with their new puppy. Following are suggestions on where to start when training a puppy:

1. 1. Socialization: The foundation of dog training is socialization, which involves introducing your puppy to new stimuli. Begin socialization at the earliest stages of puppyhood—between three and twenty weeks of age—to acclimate them to their new home and environment. Introduce puppies to family members and other dogs, expose them to loud noises, and discourage bad habits like nipping or chewing.
2. 2. Basic commands: Teach your puppy the basic obedience commands—sit, stay, and come—at seven to eight weeks of age. Give the verbal cue for each command and use a treat or kibble to guide them into position. Once they’ve accomplished the command, reward them with the treat and plenty of positive reinforcement or signal that they’ve earned a treat with a clicker before giving them the reward.
3. 3. Leash training: Seven to eight weeks is also the right age to begin leash training a puppy. Begin leash training indoors until puppies have all their vaccinations. Start by attaching a leash to your dog’s collar and letting them wear it for short periods of time, while offering treats to encourage them to come to you. Once the puppy comes on command, allow them to walk inside without the leash, and then move the training sessions outside once they’re fully vaccinated.
4. 4. Crate training: Puppies are ready to learn crate training at eight to ten weeks of age. Begin by introducing the puppy to the crate for ten minutes at a time each day, and reward them with treats and positive reinforcement when they stay calm inside the crate. Gradually increase their time in the crate: An eight- to ten-week-old puppy can handle thirty to sixty minutes a day in the crate, while adult dogs have enough bladder control to remain in the crate for up to five hours.
5. 5. Potty training: Start potty training your puppy when they’re twelve to sixteen weeks of age. The key to puppy potty training is a consistent schedule. Begin by establishing a “potty spot”—a place where the puppy pees and poops outside—and take them there at regular intervals throughout the day. Puppies need potty breaks when they wake up in the morning, after meals, water, and naps, after they leave their crate, and before they bed down at night.
6. 6. Walks: Begin practicing walking with your puppy when they reach sixteen to eighteen weeks of age and acclimate to wearing a collar. Have your puppy sit before you begin walking for the first time, and then signal them to move with a clicker or verbal command. Keep initial walks brief and build up distance over time before expanding your walks or moving to locations like a dog park.

There are many training tips for dog owners after they bring their new puppy home. Some of the best are:

1. 1. Be consistent with cues. Repetitions are important to make training sessions second nature for puppies. Use the same verbal cues or hand gestures for every obedience training session. Stick to a consistent routine in terms of bedtime, playtime, and a feeding schedule. Always reward good behavior with praise or treats.
2. 2. Have patience. Expect mistakes when training puppies. Potty training takes time, so have puppy pads and enzymatic cleaner on hand for indoor bathroom accidents during house training. Dog walking requires frequent trips to reduce lunging or pulling.
3. 3. Keep training sessions short. Puppies have notoriously short attention spans, so keep initial training times brief: five minutes per session for a total of fifteen minutes per day. Always end training with positive reinforcement, tasty treats, or playtime so they look forward to the next session.
4. 4. Try loose leash walking. An effective leash training method for puppies at an early age is loose leash training. Have your puppy walk close to you on your left side while you hold your leash in a firm grip. Stop walking or turn in the opposite direction if the dog pulls or walks ahead of you, and praise the dog when it sits and waits for your command.
5. 5. Use a crate for house training. A crate or kennel is a useful tool during house training. Create a “housetraining triangle” by taking your puppy outside for a potty break, bringing it back inside for free time, and then crating them for three hours, after which you repeat the process. Increase their playtime while reducing their time in the crate by fifteen to twenty minutes each day.

Your dream of having a dog who understands words like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and—crucially— “no” is just a MasterClass Annual Membership away. The only things you’ll need to train up a well-behaved pup are your laptop, a big bag of treats, and our exclusive instructional videos from superstar animal trainer Brandon McMillan.