So you brought home a new puppy, now what? The first week with a new puppy can be overwhelming for both of you. There is so much to teach your new pup, it can be hard to know where to start. As a professional trainer, I have new puppies entering my training camp every month. Every puppy is different and learns at different speeds, but the first, most important things I teach them are all the same.
Week one with any new puppy, I focus on getting them into a consistent routine and work on going outside frequently to establish a potty training schedule. You can read more about my housetraining tips for your new puppy here. Aside from just giving the pup time to settle in and get into a new routine, I use two simple games to establish the basics that will help with our future training.
The Name Game. The first thing I teach any new puppy is the name game. It seems simple and it is, but there are so many benefits to spending the time to play this game with your new pup. You are teaching your puppy his name, but more importantly, you are teaching him to make eye contact with you when his name is called, you are creating a positive association to his name, and you are teaching him a reward marker word that will give you a huge advantage when teaching any commands later. The game is simple, say your pups name in an upbeat voice and then when he looks at you, mark that behavior by praising him with an excited “yes” and immediately reward with a treat. That’s it. Simple yet very effective. A few tips to the game, only say your pups name once, we don’t want to practice any bad habits of ignoring his name, so we say it one time only. If your pup doesn’t immediately make eye contact with you on his own when you say his name, use your treat as a lure by bringing it to his nose for him to smell and then moving it up towards your face to bring his attention to your eyes. Mark the moment he looks up at you with a yes, followed by the treat. When you are first practicing this game, make sure there are not any distractions present so your pup can be successful, the distractions can come later after he understands the game.
Crate Games. The second thing I work on with any new puppy is introducing them to the crate. Crating can be extremely beneficial for house training, it also can help prevent separation anxiety by teaching your pup to be relaxed and comfortable alone, and it keeps them safe from chewing or ingesting anything potentially harmful to them when they are not being supervised.
Crate games are designed to create a positive association to the crate so that your dog learns to enjoy his crate, rather than feel like it is a punishment. To play this game, start by sitting next to the crate with the door open. Toss a treat inside and let your puppy enter the crate on his own to retrieve the treat. Practice this multiple times with the door open. Next, wait for your puppy to enter the crate on his own, mark the behavior with a yes and reward with a treat. This behavior of entering the crate by his own choice rather than following a treat inside is key before moving on to the next step. Once your pup is comfortable going in the crate on his own, you can begin shutting the door for a few seconds while the pup is eating his treat, then immediately open again. Gradually increase the amount of time that the door is closed and reward your pup for waiting quietly in the crate. Using a treat filled kong or chew bone can be very helpful to keep your pup entertained with the crate door closed for a few minutes to acclimate him to being confined. Be sure to always open the door when your pup is quiet so that you don’t teach him to bark or whine to be released from the crate.
New puppies are like little sponges soaking up information around them. They learn quickly and are naturally eager to please. Take advantage of this stage by making training fun and using games to help them succeed. The communication and bond that this early training builds will be the key that sets you and your pup up for future success!
Be sure to check out my New Puppy Supply List for all my must have items for your new pup!
