When To Start Puppy Training And Stages

Training a dog must start at an early age. This is the most beneficial, the most successful, and the best choice you will make. When to start puppy training and stages you will need to take are the mission for today. 

Here we will answer all the main questions and all the main things you must keep in mind. Yes, this is one of those extremely important questions that comes with a lot of facts and has a huge effect overall.

When To Start Puppy Training?

Let’s start with the first part of the question, the one that is extremely important. When to start puppy training and the stages you will need to complete are an essential thing to understand. You should start when your puppy is 7-8 weeks old. If you wait much longer, all the behavior problems will already form. This makes training extremely difficult or even impossible.

For example, if you start when your dog is 6 months old, you will have to change those behavioral problems. 

This is complicated and perhaps not something you will manage to do! If you start soon, those problems will not form hence you can train your puppy easily and enjoy the process.

Let’s add that you should use positive reinforcement only. This is the most effective option you have. Basically, you will ignore when a puppy does something that you don’t like and reward him when he does something you like. 

In order to reward him, you can use treats, praising, petting, and a lot more. In general, you can use anything that will have a positive effect on your dog so he can realize that doing a specific thing will get him something good. 

If you choose treats, make sure you use some without a lot of calories. Your puppy will need a lot of treats in order to complete the training. 

Stages Of Puppy Training Explained

The training has stages. You need to follow these if you want the best results. In simple terms, you will start with slow and simple tricks and advance them as your puppy ages. 

Here we will explain all the stages and all the pieces of training you will have to complete.

• Start With Daily Routine

You will actually have to start with a daily routine practicing. This means that you will have to wake up at the same time, teach your puppy to go to his potty area, and give him 5 minutes of free time. 

Then give him breakfast, potty time again, and allow him to stay in the crate. Basically, you will have to create a routine your puppy will follow. 

8-10 Weeks Training Stages 

These are the first pieces of training you will need to complete. These are simple and something all dogs should learn as soon as possible. We will start with the most basic of them all and gradually increase the complexity. 

• Crate Training

This is actually the first stage of training. The goal is to teach him to stay inside the crate while you are at work. First, allow him to enter and exit the crate when he wants. 

Throw a toy inside to make this simpler. Also, start adding treats inside. Then, close the door and give the treat. Then, let the puppy out. Gradually increase the time a puppy spends inside. 

At 10 weeks the puppy will be comfortable inside but you will still need to increase the time he spends inside. 

• Teach Your Puppy His Name

You must teach your puppy his name. To do this, call out his name and wait. When he looks at you, praise him and then give him a treat.

Repeat this as many times as he needs to learn his name. If he doesn’t react when you call out his name, make a second noise. When a puppy looks at you, call his name and give him a treat. 

And here you will find a step-by-step guide of the trainings above.

10-12 Weeks Old Puppy Training Stages

Your puppy had 2 weeks to adapt and learn a few things. Now it is time for more advanced, but still simple stages. 

Keep in mind that you must teach him to stop biting you at this stage. For instance, move your hands away from him when he starts biting. 

• Leash Training

Attach the leash and allow your puppy to run in the backyard pulling the leash. Gradually start holding the leash and making circles with your puppy while calling his name and telling him to do this. In order to make him move, give him a treat. 

• Sit Command

Now you will have to teach your puppy to sit. Hold a food bowl above his head. When he sits down, put the bowl down and allow him to eat. 

Now when a puppy sits and waits for the meal, you can issue the command ‘’sit’’ and repeat the process. 

• Don’t Jump Command

This is also a very interesting command and the one you will like. When you come home your puppy will jump all over you. Ignore him and show him a sit cue or tell him to sit. 

When he does this, you will praise him a lot and also give him a treat. Repeat this until he realizes that he must sit before you will say ‘’hi’’ to him.

10-12 weeks old puppy training step-by-step here.

3-4 Months Old Puppy Training Stages

First of all, you need to continue leash training at this stage. It is going to last. But you also need to train him to do a lot more things. Below we have a few things you will have to teach your puppy at this age. 

• Come Command

This is an essential command. You can tell him ‘’come’’ when he is far from you. You can also learn the ‘’chase’’ command.  He will start chasing you and therefore come to you. 

When he comes for the first time, give him a treat, and praise him a lot. Chase command will activate his prey drive hence he will want to chase you.

5-6 Months Old Puppy Training Stages

This is the last stage of training. After this, dogs rarely teach new tricks and things to do. 

They rely on the things you have taught them before. However, this is a very important part of the training and the one that has huge importance overall. You will have to train a dog to act more appropriately. 

At the same time, he will be an adolescent now so this part of the training can be difficult! Anyway, you will have a few goals on your mind. You will have to:

• Help him keep the attention on you while you are performing leash training
• Teach him stay and sit using verbal commands and cues
• Teach him ‘’leave it’’ common
• Make sure he always comes to you when you are in a park or somewhere public

The Final Word

As you can see, this is a very important and beneficial thing to know. When to start puppy training and the stages you will need to take will make a difference. 

With a lot of patience, effort, and time, you will have a dog that knows all commands and will obey you 24/7. Yes, all of this is complicated and time-consuming but something you will have to do. The difference is massive.