The Most Important Things to Teach Your Puppy
It’s hard to select just a few “most important” things to teach a puppy. Everything feels important and necessary!
But if I had to prioritize just seven skills, these are them!
But First…
Let me make a distinction between Life Skills and Basic Obedience.
Just because a dog knows a lot of “commands” doesn’t mean he’s easy to live with. And just because a dog lacks formal education doesn’t mean he’s difficult to live with.
You’ll notice a lot of the items on my Most Important list aren’t basic obedience commands. Commands can be taught at any time and, although I believe training is very important, I will admit that some dogs can live quite comfortably without that formal education.
That doesn’t mean they don’t need to learn anything, though.
Dogs who don’t know anything about anything — more specifically, who are uncomfortable with or unable to perform extremely basic things — will have more difficulty.
It’s these skills, sort of prerequisite Life Skills, that I would prioritize.
#1 Potty Training
No surprise here. Potty training is usually at the top of the list for most owners so it’s nearly always one of the very first things I cover during an Initial Consultation.
Understand this: puppies do not grow out of accidents. Yes, they physically develop better bladder control, but that isn’t the same thing as only toileting outdoors.
On-going accidents when your puppy is 12, 16 and 20 weeks old will translate to on-going accidents when your puppy is 12, 18 and 24 months old.
Check out my post on how to potty train a puppy, and whatever you do, don’t. use. potty. pads.
#2 Smart Socialization
Rosebud and Trainer Leighann work at Lowe’s Home Improvement
This. is. huge. And there’s lots that could be said on the topic, but let’s start with this:
Socialization is very time-sensitive. Your best opportunity for socializing your puppy ends when he is 12 and 16 weeks old.
Socialization should happen before puppy vaccines are complete.
Socialization does not mean the dog park.
Socialization does not, exclusively, mean meeting lots of people and other dogs.
Socialization should not happen, exclusively, at home.
Smart socialization keeps a puppy both physically and behaviorally healthy.
Socialization should be a pleasant experience for your puppy. If he’s not having fun, he might be learning to dislike the world — the opposite of socialization!
Socialization should also be building the behaviors you want to see in your adult dog. This usually means prioritizing calm exposure instead of interaction.
Is my puppy getting smart socialization?
Puppy Bodhi visits Bass Pro Shop
Is my puppy jumping up or trying to climb on me?
Is my puppy looking for a place to hide?
Is my puppy scurrying away from things?
Does my puppy seem frantic? (This can look like leash pulling.)
Is my puppy jumpy/twitchy or startling at normal sounds?
Is my puppy so distracted when he sees people, animals, objects that he won’t eat treats?
If you answered “yes,” to any of the above, your puppy’s behavioral health may be at risk. Contact a qualified, rewards-based puppy trainer who can come up with a smart socialization plan for YOUR puppy and his specific needs.
For more information, check out:
#3 Default Down
A default Down helps your puppy get it right in a variety of situations.
A default Down means the dog frequently volunteers to lie down on his own — without being told, prompted, lured, or physically manipulated into the position by a human.
I love this because lying Down is a step towards relaxation and I like chill dogs.
Down is also a great incompatible behavior: there are a lot of things your puppy cannot be doing if he’s lying down — things like jumping on guests or running out the front door.
By rewarding your puppy when he chooses to lie Down, you’ll wind up with a dog who frequently chooses to lie Down and that’s a win!
#4 Equipment Dressing/Wearing
Take it from me: the world gets a lot smaller and more complicated if you cannot put a collar, harness, and/or leash on your dog.
Unfortunately, even with the best efforts, equipment issues cannot always be avoided. Never the less, it’s still best to gently expose your puppy to his equipment sooner rather than later.
How? For starters, click here to watch me get puppy Indy dressed, and remember to Invite instead of Insist!
If you notice your puppy avoiding his equipment, contact a qualified, reward-based dog trainer for extra help.
#5 Car Rides
Tether or crate your puppy for safe car rides!
Big feelings about the car also makes the world a smaller, more complicated place.
Even if you have no intention of doing road trips with your adult dog, he must be comfortable approaching, loading and riding for vet visits, grooming appointments, or emergencies.
Do all you can to ensure your puppy’s experiences in the car are pleasant ones. This can include:
Feeling (and being) secure. Falling isn’t fun. If your puppy rides tethered, consider a car hammock so he cannot fall into the floor. If he rides crated (my preference for young puppies with sharp teeth), make sure the crate is secure and will not tip or fall over — a hammock can help here, too, if the crate is small.
Fun distraction. Give your puppy a food stuffed toy that will last the duration of your drive. Car rides = a steady stream of yummy goodies!
No-no to nausea. Car-sickness is a real thing. If you notice your puppy drooling or vomiting, please talk to your vet about options sooner rather than later.
Why? Every time your puppy feels nauseous in the car, he’s building a negative association with that activity. In a way, he’s actually being punished for riding in the car. Believe me, you don’t want to have to undo all that learning if you can help it.
#6 Confinement/Crate Training
Quiet crating makes life easier and your puppy more successful!
Don’t underestimate the value of quiet confinement — especially when you’re home!
Even if you don’t plan to regularly crate your adult dog, you never know what might happen in the future.
It’s far better to gently teach your puppy to relax in confinement (at whatever pace he needs now), than to wait until he needs crate rest for 6 weeks following an injury.
You can help your puppy succeed in the crate by ensuring his social, physical and mental needs have been met before you crate him and then by hanging out next to the crate until he falls asleep.
#7 Recall (aka “Come”)
If nothing else, Recall is essential for safety. Even if you plan to keep your dog leashed in any unfenced areas, accidents happen: he might rush out the front door, slip out of his equipment, or discover the side gate has been left open.
(I’ve had two clients successfully use their formal recall to get their dogs back after escaping the backyard!)
Prioritize a recall taught with positive reinforcement!