One of the questions I get asked most often by new puppy owners is, “How long will this take?”
How quickly can my puppy be housebroken? How long will crate training take? When should my puppy know basic obedience?
The truth is, there is no set number of days or weeks.
Puppies are individuals, just like we are. Some puppies seem to catch on astonishingly fast. Others can make you feel like nothing you’re doing is clicking at all. Both can be completely normal.
YOUR PUPPY IS AN INDIVIDUAL
Age, genetics, temperament, confidence, maturity and previous experiences can all affect how quickly a puppy learns and adjusts. Your consistency, patience and having a predictable schedule also play a huge part.
This is especially important to remember if you’ve raised a puppy before.
Maybe your last puppy was housebroken very quickly. Maybe they loved their crate from the beginning or seemed to pick up obedience almost effortlessly. That doesn’t mean your new puppy will follow the same timeline.
A puppy taking longer to learn something doesn’t automatically mean there’s a problem. Sometimes they simply need more repetition, more time or a slightly different approach.
WE OFTEN REMEMBER THE DOG THEY BECAME — NOT THE PUPPY THEY WERE
When you’ve had a wonderful adult dog, it’s easy to remember how well behaved they were, how easily they fit into your life and how much they seemed to understand you.
What we sometimes forget are the puppy months that got us there.
The accidents. The chewing. The biting. The crate protests. The sleepless nights. The selective hearing. And those days when it felt like absolutely nothing was working.
That amazing adult dog didn’t arrive that way. You built those skills and that relationship over time.
So when your new puppy feels harder than you remember your previous puppy being, remember that you’re comparing a puppy who is just beginning to an adult dog who had years to become the dog you remember.
PROGRESS ISN’T ALWAYS A STRAIGHT LINE
Puppy training also isn’t always a steady march forward.
A puppy can go two weeks without an accident and suddenly have one in the house. They can sleep beautifully in their crate and then have a rough night. They may come every single time you call them in your kitchen and then go outside and suddenly act like they’ve never heard the word before.
That doesn’t necessarily mean your training isn’t working.
Learning takes repetition, and puppies are also growing and changing. New environments, distractions and developmental stages can all affect what they’re able to do successfully.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR PUPPY NEEDS NOW
Instead of asking, “When will my puppy be completely trained?” I encourage owners to focus on what their puppy is ready to learn right now.
Build a predictable routine. Work on housebreaking and crate training. Begin practical foundation skills. Introduce your puppy appropriately to the world around them. Teach them how to live successfully in your home.
There will be plenty of time to build more advanced skills as your puppy matures.
And most importantly, don’t rush through puppyhood trying to reach the finished product.
The goal isn’t to have the fastest-trained puppy. It’s to build the foundation for the amazing adult dog you’re hoping they’ll become.
NEED HELP GETTING YOUR PUPPY OFF TO THE RIGHT START?
My Puppy Head Start program is a private in-home session designed for people preparing to bring home a new puppy or who have recently added one to their family.
We’ll cover crate training, housebreaking, socialization, routines, handling and common puppy problems while beginning practical foundation training and life skills right in your home.
You’ll also receive my complete Puppy 911 Guide Series with the actual steps I use with my own puppies and teach my clients.
Puppy Head Start — $250
KV Dog Training
Private In-Home Dog Training
Dutchess, Putnam & Upper Westchester Counties and the Danbury, CT area