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Puppies

Having a puppy can feel like a full time job. The puppy’s job is to learn about his environment, and he will do so constantly, and almost exclusively with his mouth. On top of that, you’re tackling potty training and crate training and socialization and teething, and although puppies sleep great quantities of the day, it never feels like enough to the humans. Puppy Blues is an excellent resource for new puppy parents dealing with their own sleep deprivation (and wondering if bringing home this little Land Shark was such a good idea, after all). Below are some additional ideas and tips to help you navigate these first months of puppy parenthood.

Management

Management is the process of setting up the environment for success; puppy’s success, and yours. Overall, “overmanaging” is better than running after your mistakes or getting frustrated because he just chewed your grandmother’s chair or ingested something that has you sprinting to the emergency vet. The heavy use of x-pens, crates, doggy gates and chew-proof tethers is priceless prevention and peace of mind. It’s cumbersome for a few months, but the puppy never learns that shoes, curtains and furniture legs are fun to chew. If all goes well, by six months you can start peeling back the management layers one at a time and get your home back.

Using an x-pen around a crate is helpful while you work through the incremental steps of crate training.

Facebook Marketplace is useful for picking up these supplies at extremely affordable prices. Goodwill also often has baby gates and x-pens in good condition.  

Tether tip: You can make your own tether out of plastic covered aircraft cable and some clips from the hardware store; they’ll help you cut and attach the clips. Chewy and Amazon sell them pre-made; look for ones that are shorter in length. Never leave a puppy alone while tethered.

Puppy Biting

Imagine you are in shop full of unique trinkets. You may touch or pick one up to investigate. Dogs like to explore too, but they have no fingers, so they investigate the world with their mouths. At this phase in their development, everything goes in their mouths. Including you. They are developing the skill of bite inhibition (how to control the pressure of their jaws), and they learn this mainly from their humans and other dog friends.

No need to scold or yell “ouch”; biting is a normal puppy behavior. Yelling raises arousal, which makes biting worse. It can also create fear. Your job is to gently teach him how much mouthing is acceptable, and when it is or isn’t appropriate. 

Notice when he is biting: 

  • Is he overtired? Maybe it’s time for a nap.
  • Are you trying to cuddle or pet him? Watch his body language - this may be his way of saying “no thanks/too much huggy”.
  • Could he be over aroused? Perhaps the game you’re playing is too exciting, or he needs a quiet time out with an enrichment item.
  • Is he teething? Just like little humans, this process is uncomfortable for puppies. Make sure he has plenty of legal items to gnaw and relieve his discomfort.

Some puppy-appropriate chew items:

Helpful resources:

Training

Catching the puppy in the act of doing something you want more of and rewarding him for it is called “capturing”, and it’s the easiest way to train. Because he’s actively participating in his learning by offering the behavior in the first place, this tends to yield “sticky” learning; behavior that’s long lasting and durable. Capturing is easy and fun, and you’ll soon find that the behaviors you reward happen more often. 

Divide the puppy’s daily ration of kibble, using some for enrichment (see below), and some for training. It’s helpful to have puppy-proof containers with kibble or treats in every room that he frequents. You can use these to:

  • Reward behaviors that you want to see more of, e.g., sitting, lying down, not jumping when greeted, not biting while being pet, going to the door to go out to pee.
  • Offer trades or scatter a small handful in the opposite direction when the puppy gets ahold of a stray sock or piece of mail, or you want to end play.  
  • Lure them away from somewhere they shouldn’t be or towards something you want instead of picking them up, which can cause them to avoid you.
  • Offer a kibble explosion (a scatter) if a scary thing happens; this can help recovery from a startling event. 
  • Secretly tossing a kibble in their crate, making it a positive place to visit.

Potty Training

Puppies pee (and poop) a lot. To meet the needs of his tiny bladder and lack of awareness he will need to go out immediately after waking, eating, drinking, and play, or every hour. 

Set the timer for 60 minutes (you’ll be surprised at how quickly time flies). Take him outside and make a mental note of what he’s done. If he doesn’t potty in 2-3 minutes, bring him back inside and keep him tethered to you or under 100% direct supervision and try again in 10 minutes. 

When your puppy finishes his business outside, immediately reward him with a treat and verbal praise. Reward again just inside the door to create the habit of "I head right inside after potty".

If an accident happens, refrain from using scare or startle tactics. Making a big loud deal about it will only scare and stress him, and he will learn to hide from you when he has to go, pottying in the house and behind your back. Instead, just gently pick him up mid-accident and calmly say something like “uh oh” or “oh my” and take him outside to finish the job. 

Keeping track of output is helpful for housetraining success. It’s hard to remember from day to day when you’re in the midst of puppy-raising (and maybe a little sleep-deprived). The following is an intense but effective method. You can do this on your phone or have AI create an app for you, but having a chart visually front and center helps keep you on track. Use your phone or regular timer and a dry erase board, window, or flowchart posted on the fridge.

Real-Life Example

Exercise & Sleep

Puppies need so much sleep!  16-18 hours a day! They are rarely awake for more than 2-3 hours at a time. During the day, they need long naps with good REM sleep. Sleep is crucial for growth and development, stress reduction, and the imprinting of memories. 

If his demeanor suddenly changes to “witching hour” behaviors – extra nippy, frantic zoomies, eyes rolling back in their sockets – he is already over tired. Noticing a pattern and specific “getting sleepy” behaviors and putting him in his sleep spot BEFORE he gets squirrelly is the key so he doesn’t practice the overtired (and usually undesired) behaviors. If he’s been awake for more than two hours and suddenly seems full of spazzy energy, he probably doesn't need more exercise. He needs a good, long nap. They will occasionally fall asleep on their own but often it’s the guardian’s role to put them in their nap spot when the time comes.

While puppies do need exercise, avoid strenuous activity to prevent injury to growth plates. Good outlets for exercise are self-directed play, play with puppies who are well matched physically, and walks that very slowly build in duration. Physical maturity for a large breed dog is between 12 and 18 months.

Helpful resources:

Socialization

During the critical developmental period of 8-16 weeks, the puppy is open to new experiences, and learns that things in his world are safe, or that they aren’t. When this brief window closes, it’s much harder to make up for the missed opportunity. Puppies who are well socialized tend to be more emotionally stable, comfortable with novel environments and experiences, and less likely to become fearful as adult dogs. 

Puppy socialization is creating POSITIVE associations with the world, not just exposing them to new things. This can be done safely at any time, regardless of vaccination status. Holding him in your lap at a park, on leash or in your arms at dog-friendly places such as Home Depot, and from your backseat at trailheads as dogs, runners and bicycles go by can create positive associations with these things. Pairing the event with a yummy treat can help create a positive connection. By paying attention to his body language, you can make sure that he’s enjoying the experience and isn’t overwhelmed.

Here are some ideas and handy socialization checklists:

Dogs can learn obedience skills and manners at any age, but this socialization window starts to close around four months. If all the “to-dos” of puppy training seem overwhelming, concentrate on early positive socialization with other puppies. This will pay off dividends, as the more he learns social skills as a puppy, the more comfortable he’ll be with dogs of all shapes and sizes when he’s an adult . Well-run puppy playgroups are invaluable in teaching them how to interact safely and appropriately with other dogs during this critical developmental window. Try to do at least one puppy social/week.

Not all puppy play groups are created equal! What we’re after is an emphasis on socialization, healthy puppy play and interaction with each other and novel objects in a safe, nurturing environment that allows Shy Violet to come out of her shell and helps Buster Bruiser learn that bowling over the other puppies is not the way to social success. Good play groups also help new puppy parents learn invaluable dog body language, what healthy play looks like, and the best ways to advocate for their new pup. A focus on obedience training is not the key here, although some easy manners skills may be woven into these groups and classes.

What about the risk to puppies who aren't fully immunized?

Puppy Socialization and Vaccination – A Balancing Act (Academy for Dog Trainers)

The AVSAB's position statement on puppy socialization says, "The primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated."

Portland Area Classes and Resources

Mental Enrichment

Mental enrichment is vital for wellbeing, even for puppies! 

  • Set aside their food for the day (if it’s kibble).  From that bowl, fill your enrichment devices. Distribute them throughout the day and use any leftover food for training. This can make potty training a bit harder since they are eating throughout the day but using their meals for training and enrichment is really beneficial. 
  • Soak kibble in water, fill toys such as Kongs or Toppls, and freeze their meals. They may need a little coaching getting started but you can get 15 minutes of free time for each filled toy.
  • A variety of fillings can be used in Kongs and Toppls.
Toys to use with soft or frozen food:

  • Pupsicles are a favorite; easy even for the youngest puppies. Make a bunch of the frozen pucks using a Pupsicle treat tray and store them in the freezer so they are always ready. Pucks made with just low/no sodium broth are easiest, as they melt faster than those made with a combination of broth/water and more solid foods, such as canned dog food, plain yogurt, or unsweetened applesauce.
  • Kongs made with parfait of kibble, yogurt, applesauce and then frozen. You can also provide a quick puzzle treat with just *xylitol-free peanut butter or squeeze cheese. These can be too difficult for young puppies. 
    • *Xylitol, also marketed as birch sugar, is highly toxic to all dogs, especially puppies. Read labels to ensure your brand has none. 
  • West Paw Toppls are another favorite that are easier than a Kong and can be filled with soft or frozen food.

DIY ideas:

  • Let your puppy help with recycling! All sizes of cardboard boxes and non-plastic egg crates make for a fun puzzle for all ages and skill levels! Remove the tape and labels, check for and remove staples. Wrap kibble loosely in packing paper, stuff in the box and let them destroy! You can even draw a line of squeeze cheese or peanut butter down the inside to encourage them to investigate and shred. This is more fun than snuffle mats because it’s more active, but it’s a one-off toy.
  • Another fun thing to do with a box is to throw a bunch of empty pharmacy pill containers (or other small safe items) in it with kibble and let them dig and search. 

Food dispensing toys require the dog to roll or bat with his nose or paws to dispense kibble. Depending on the style, they can be frustrating and too hard at first (about 2-5 months) but you can try them out every few weeks and show the puppy how it works; he will eventually get the hang of it.

Additional tips:

  • More complex puzzles (such as Nina Ottoson’s) for puppies or adolescents tend to require too much patience and end up getting tossed around or chewed up, and can frustrate young dogs. Save those for adulthood.
  • Licky mats are nice, but need to be used under direct supervision. Do not leave unattended with these since puppies with razor-sharp baby teeth can easily slice a corner off and ingest or choke on it.

Co-Regulation

Just as human children need emotional support from us as they learn to navigate their world, puppies do, too. They do not come equipped to handle their big feelings, and we need to help them learn to do this. When your puppy is in over his head emotionally, he can “borrow” your calmness. This is called co-regulation. Think of this as emotional teamwork.

Some examples: 

  • Helping the puppy settle at nap time
  • Recognizing when the puppy is overwhelmed and intervening
  • Slowing your movements and speaking calmly when you’re anxious, so that your puppy won’t become anxious, too.

Helpful resources:

Additional Resources

Books:

Puppy Start Right by Kenneth Martin, DVM, and Debbie Martin, RVT, VTS

The Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training by Nancy Kerns

The Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Non Violent Guide to Early Training and Care by Paul Owens and Terence Cranendonk. Also available as an ebook from Dogwise.

Control Unleashed: The Puppy Program by Leslie McDevitt. Also available as an ebook from Clean Run. 

Online resources:

Video: 3 Easy Crate Training Tips so your pup learns to love their crate. (Dunbar Academy)

YouTube - Sunshine Dog Training

YouTube - Kikopup - Heavily clicker-based content.

YouTube - Zak George - Easily understood content, not puppy centric.

Content by Wendy Fuller, 2026.

DISCLAIMER: These materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or legal advice. Users should consult with qualified professionals before implementing any training technique that may affect the health, safety, or wellbeing of any animal or person.

By using these materials, you acknowledge and agree that:

  1. Dog training involves inherent risks, including but not limited to, physical injury to humans and animals, property damage, and emotional distress.
  2. Each dog is unique and may respond differently to training techniques.
  3. Golden Bond Rescue cannot guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or results of any training method described in these materials.
  4. You assume full responsibility for assessing the appropriateness of any training technique for your specific situation.

Golden Bond Rescue hereby expressly disclaims all liability for any injuries, damages, or losses of any kind that may occur to any person, animal, or property as a result of using, implementing, or following any techniques, methods, guidance, instructions, or recommendations contained herein.