Puppy Development Stages Birth to 2 Years

[@bronwencleary81]

I took your 30 Days class with my then 8 week puppy. He’s now 2-1/2 years old and truly is a dream dog. That early start sure paid off. Thank you!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We absolutely love this pupdate! We are so happy to hear you two have enjoyed the program and accomplished so much together! ❤

[@AnotherAnimal]

I am a new dog trainer (who is currently fostering a puppy) and LOVE watching your videos! I share your content with my friends and family that cannot necessarily afford dog training or their puppy isn't able to go to classes just yet because the tips are super helpful and makes them feel less alone. Great job, Dream Dog Team!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thanks so much for your kind words!

[@AMBELLINA77]

I like: he's not giving you a hard time, he's HAVING a hard time. It's a good thing for me to remember and keep my patience and love in tact during these trying times. Lol

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Yes, it's hard to remember that sometimes when the puppy blues hit, but the more you keep that in mind, the more patient you can be! Thanks for watching!

[@AMBELLINA77]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog I'm in the compliant phase so it's good to learn that I should brace myself for the next swim upstream. I did everything wrong the first time so I'm learning learning learning for our future to be easy the whole time. Not only have a good dog when they get too old to be naughty anymore. Lol

[@KEMIRANDA173]

Thanks for posting this! Hindsight is indeed 20/20…I have an 11 month Australian Shepherd and he is very firmly in the adolescent stage. He’s talking back, throwing tantrums, and testing boundaries all over the place! I don’t think enough people really talk about how hard this stage is and before watching this video I’d even mentioned to someone how it makes sense why there are so many dogs at this age in the shelter 😢. An untrained dog can be a nightmare and even a mostly trained dog isn’t a picnic.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Hang in there, Kieran! You are an amazing puppy paw-rent and never give up! Make sure to take some extra time to fill your own emotional cup when you get overwhelmed, and take some time to strengthen your relationship with your puppy too. We're here if you need us. ❤️

[@KEMIRANDA173]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog thank you so much. We had a fun play/pet session today and that usually helps us both. Sure doesn’t stop him from stealing my sneakers. I mean who can blame him? They smell! Lol

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

To him, those shoes smell AMAZING!!! What behaviors would you like to see more of from him, or which alternative behaviors have you started working on? When we teach our dogs different skills, they tend to do less of the unwanted ones. So, for example, if he loves to grab your shoes, do you play fetch with him with toys he's supposed to play with, do you work on "bring it here" and "drop it?" Does he have opportunities for sniffaries and snuffle mat or busy box activities to use that awesome nose for good instead of bad? Australian Shepherds are super smart, I don't have to tell you that, you know already. This means they thrive when they are learning new skills or working, which is what they were bred to do.

[@KEMIRANDA173]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog he knows the command “drop it” but only when he’s on leash or gets cornered. Right now if I pull the treats out he will come over and forget about what he has that he shouldn’t so essentially I’m bribing him. We do go on walks where I let him sniff about but I could probably find some more indoor things to do too. If he has something he really wants, shoes, then he has zero interest in playing fetch or tug. He knows what he wants!

[@brianstauffacher]

Just when I think I get caught up on new puppy training skills with my 10-month old Maltese, Luna...I continue to learn something new. This video came at a perfect time. Thank you Michele and team. And happy New Year! Brian and Luna, Spokane, Washington🧡🐶 ( and I am typing this as we just got home from her twice a week 30-minute walk around the inside of Home Depot... 8 ft Long Leash. Her favorite place in the world!....yup, still doing it all these months later)

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Brian!!! We are blown away by your generosity. On behalf of the team and I we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and support. You and Luna continue to do amazing things together with your adventures to Home Depot and the fun games you share with us in the student group. Thank you so much for being an awesome puppy parent and an excellent example to others. 🙂

[@brianstauffacher]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog God has given me a very grateful heart. Pets are one of the most wonderful gifts a human being can ever have. I experienced the most unsuccessful dog in the world. Lily. Who died one year ago today. Maltese shitzu. I did not know about training. But now I do. Cheers to you and to all of your followers and those watching your videos! This world is a better place because of successful dogs and owners. And my little luna is a perfect Testament to this! PS... I purchased a ring light in hopes of making somewhat decent quality videos for the Facebook groups. Of some successful tips and tricks we have learned from you. 😁😁

[@chant2day]

@brian stauffacher please do! We need all the help we can get. Brooklyn the chorkie's mom!

[@lorrainecampbell808]

I have a 5 month old Scottish Terrier. After having had huskies and a corgi, he is (so far!) a dream - thanks to your 30 Days to Puppy Perfection programme. Thanks!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thanks so much, Lorraine! That is awesome to hear! Sounds like you've been working hard! Well done!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thanks for watching! 🐶 What stage of development is your puppy in?

[@dawnetteavery7157]

Just turned 7 months. Still trying to train her not to jump on people. She is going to be a big girl. I'm going to go back to training her to sit when she needs something.

[@peghubbard7147]

I'm so thankful I found HTTADD when my pup was brand new. She's two years now, and we are seeing wonderful results for all the training you taught us! I think we became Dream Parents to our sweet dog!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We're so happy to have you, Peg! You and Bitsy are such a joy! Bitsy really has become a dream dog. We're so proud. ❤️

[@christinamamos9196]

My Portuguese Water Dog is now in the adolescent phase and it has been a little challenging. Such great tips! I have been watching your channel since the day I got my puppy and have learned so much. thank you!!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We are so happy you enjoyed the video! We are sure you'll weather this phase with ease!

[@KutieKimster]

Great video. Thank you. I learned a lot about the adolescent phase which is where my puppy is starting. She turned 6 months a few days ago. Thank you for directing me to watch this video from the FB group. I needed this.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We are so glad you found it helpful!

[@RockyMountainGardener]

Great video and reminders! My pup is 18 months now and he’s just started to regress a bit. But this is reminding me that I need to keep up with the positive reinforcement of good behaviours and engaging with him. Thank you for the great content!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We are glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!

[@chant2day]

I took my 6lb Chorkie Brooklyn for her first outing in petsmart She just finished her shots. I kept her in the cart and she had a ball with people fawning over her. I didn't want to give her stimulus overload. I have done a lot of training with her but made some mistakes. Luckily she is still young & I can back peddle. I signed up for Petsmart's puppy class . I just found you today & subscribed. Thanks for the info.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Oh bummer we wished you had found us sooner as we have a wonderful online program that's far better than going to a hecitc big box store. If it doesn't work out for you, we're happy to help.

[@DianeCary-cr4tn]

Awesome ... helpful video for new puppy parents!!!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

So glad we were able to help! Thank you so much for watching.

[@augustinabunch4523]

Very good tips and advice on what's coming . We have a 5 month old German Shepherd I'm so happy all the early 8 week stages we did great with training early. Will definitely watch a few more of your videos. Thanks for doing what you do

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We are so glad you enjoyed this video!

[@shadowsir]

Our 8 week old working breed puppy was already uncompliant, jumping and lunging at people the first week we got him 😅 We had to teach him to settle down so he got at least SOME sort of sleep. That alone took us 4 weeks of slow progress training. As this is our first dog, I never really got the "enjoy your puppy" until I watched some youtube clips with super calm puppies... 😅

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Sounds like you're on the right track! Did you see our new video this week? It's all about tools that you can use to help your dog settle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omq9q4WBmKx2ppo

[@MD-cu6wq]

A Biewer Yorkie is coming to live with me on Sat 25/01. Your videos are really helpful. I will be working each day with little Jazz on basic commands and socialisation. Then onto big girl school for sure. ❤️you are a service to …humanity. Dogs will be dogs, it’s Humans that fail to understand dogs most of the time😂👌

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We agree! Humans have a lot of learning to do to figure out their furry best friends! We are happy you're enjoying the videos.

[@mikesipe7114]

Luv your videos!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thank you! We love that you love them!

[@jmhereford]

That was a super informative video. I already shared it with a friend who has a new puppy. I’m one of those people that got the second dog just when the first dog got easy. Thanks to the HTTADD trainers and course my second dog is on his way to being a dream dog too

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thank you so much for watching and sharing, Joan! We're glad you and your boys have joined us. You've done so amazing with them and we know you'll have two dream dogs in no time! ❤️

[@wandastallworth3716]

Thank you so much for your knowledge on how to train a dream dog. I've purchased 30 days training class when my puppy was 8 weeks old. Titus is now 10 months. I think he's getting board with the treat's. I have high, medium and low value treats. Therefore, he won't always train. So I verbal praise him and that doesn't always work. The enrichment games he won't do. I thought of some games we can do but he still like eating the paper bags or the Amazon box. So I tried using something he can't eat and he still won't do it. We need other enrichment games and training. I have so many different types of treats so he won't be board but he still is.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Hi Wanda! We'd have to put on our puppy detective hats to figure out what Titus might enjoy doing! Since you're enrolled in the course, the option to upgrade to the PRO level is always available to you. You can join us at the PRO level for a month or two and ask all your questions and get personalized answers and support! The link to upgrade is in module 1.

[@ashleyrhoden-roberts9380]

Can you please create videos for thoes of us with older puppies i.e. 8 months and up. They are rather stuck in their ways I think and expert advice for this specific statge would be very helpful.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

You can definitely apply many of these techniques to older puppies as well! For older pups, it may be helpful to find a local trainer in your area. Here is a directory: www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/

[@amybissonettephoto]

My puppy is 10 months old (adopted from a rescue at about 7 months). He is definitely in the adolescent phase! Lol. I try to be diligent with him and training, but phew. This is so challenging! He is a staffy/pit/cattle dog mix and very high energy. I need to work on the barking for sure. Any tips? I've been really enjoying your videos! Great and very helpful information.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We are so glad this video was helpful! Barking is a harder one to address because we have to get to the root of the reason for the barking. This video can give you a few general ideas on where to start: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJSmaYaDnpWMb5Y

[@careygirl82]

Do you have any training videos specifically geared towards the adolescent stage?

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We can help you with that in a personalized way as part of the PRO level of the online course. Training approaches becomes more varied depending on breed and environment and it helps to have more specific suggestions based on your unique situation. www.howtotrainadreamdog.com/puppy-perfection-course-learn-more/

[@antonellavisocchi7656]

Really amazing video, thank you darlings ❤️

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thank you so much for watching! We're glad you're here!

[@derykmacleod4979]

I watched all your video's prior to getting Captain Jack Spaniel a now 19month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. I am disabled so I am home with him 24x7 and I have been bringing him with me places since day 1. He is pretty quiet overall and very friendly to people and dogs... he only gives doggy kisses to children and me lol. I figured out when he tries to hump I distract him with a treat and the sit command and it usually distracts him and he is back ready to play not hump. On nice days he rides in a basket on my recumbent trike and he generally enjoys himself, gets to meet people and be petted. I did run into an issue last summer with a guy with a large agressive poodle that he allowed his dog to lunge at us as I ride by... It happened several times till I got the point across to the dog owner that he would be legally liable for damages from his aggressive uncontrolled large dog on a retractible leash. Now Jack doesn't do it all the time but he has been occasionally freaking out when he see's another dog and starts growling and barking. If I stop and take him out of his basket he is totally fine to the other dog and generally wants to play with them. I have tried talking to him when we see anothedog and distract him with treats... he will be ok for a few days then we pass by some 10lb dog and he starts growling and acting tough...clearly the little dog isn't a threat...seems to work only 100% of the time when I have a treat in my hand bribing him to be good...I don't know what else to try

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

I'm sorry the other dog/owner did not heed our warnings at first. Based on a few behaviors you mentioned it may not be a great idea to take him out in those situations any longer. If a pup humps in this type of situtaion it's overstmulation or overarousal. Between the humping and the occasional "freak-out" sessions it's likely over-exposing him or what we call trigger stacking. We would not want to remove him from the basket to get him to stop freaking out. At some point this is likely to end poorly when another dog gets overaroused from your dog's behavior and intead of nicely meeting your dog, ends up attacking. Besides, we would never want 2 dogs to meet on leash, this is a recipe for disaster if they get tangled. If you want to still take your dog out, take Captain Jack to places where he can decompress in the absence of other dogs, people and other triggers than can get him overstimualted.

[@derykmacleod4979]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog No, the humping was just a slight issue we had at about 6 months of age. He was humping a blanket or trying to till I distract him with a sit command, sometimes a treat if he is slow responding and then I just get him into some sort of play like fetch to get him running and burn those treat calories off lol. Sadly my area is very urbanized, but in the warmer weather I try to get us out in the woods so no distractions besides birds and squirrels lol...thanks

[@Duchess1982]

Just got a puppy almost two weeks ago. 3mth old mini poodle female. Vaccinations will be fully complete in 3wks. According to this video, I'd say we're almost in the adolescent phase but not sure.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Now you know what it might be like when you get there! Thanks for watching!

[@5262janna]

Just adopted a 12 week old bichon. Your videos are helping but I know I need to be training more. Big question is how long should each puppy training session last?

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

That really depends on your puppy and her body language during a training session. In our online course we can teach you how to structure your training sessions throughout the day and how to know when it's time to take a break. www.howtotrainadreamdog.com/puppy-perfection-course-learn-more/

[@sherryagar2349]

I have a Great Pyrenees who is 16 weeks old. Lilly has been potty trained but has accidents. I'm trying to be consistent but I'm 74 with some health issues. Should I bit the bullet and have someone train her or just continue on the best I can. The latest problem is Lilly crabs the chickens and drags them around. At first I was appalled but she doesn't seem to hurt them. Don't know what to do about this. My biggest problem is I'm not fast enough to redirect and she will be a very big dog.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

You are right that now is the time to teach her good habits, before she gets so big. We suggest puppy proofing so she can't get to the chickens. Training needs to be done in the home where she lives, especially with potty training. Follow the advice in our free kit and you'll get there! You might need to find someone who can take her out on decompression walks and offer her other enrichment opportunities that her breed needs. Potty training tips can be found here: learn.howtotrainadreamdog.com/yt/new-puppy-starter-kit/

[@vickiejohnson3283]

Delighted to find this channel today! I am fostering a little shih tzu with the intent to adopt. She is 2 years old and has been through two owners already. Very affectionate but I suspect abuse because when she's afraid or doesn't get her way she bites. On the flip she is extremely responsive to affection. This is going to be a challenge, but I truly want our home to be her permanent home. Do you have videos where you've discussed dealing with shelter dogs? Thank you!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We haven't really discussed shelter dogs, but we have a few good videos on building confidence. Start with this one, and consider the PRO level of our online course for some personalized guidance! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHi1iYOXe7GAZsU

[@vickiejohnson3283]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog thank you for your reply!

[@cynthiarubio4074]

Hi , thank you so much for your advice. I have a 6 month old Shih Tzu. I’ve been working on some basic command but as we all know- life happens. Helping elderly parents. I just recently spayed Bailey. We never did really succeed in pee pad training and many times she has accidents inside. She does good going outside and ms r times I find myself taking her outside multiple times within the hour. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

It takes time and consistency to teach our puppies to go potty outside, but she's definitely capable of learning! Follow the four fundamentals of potty training in our New Puppy Starter Kit and you'll be on the right track. howtotrainadreamdog.com

[@cynthiarubio4074]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog , I sure will thank you so much!

[@andrewgolba9471]

22 months cavalier King Charles and he is full of life

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Awesome! And also a little easier than when he first came home, right? :)

[@Alyssa-ui7bf]

Sometimes I feel like I’ve “ruined”some of my training with my puppy :( He’s only 6 months but has quite a few bad behaviors. So, it’s reversal time but it’s so overwhelming to even know where to start on such a hard task (dealing with jumping up, refusing the harness and leash, not wanting to go on walks or pulling if we do, overexcitement with people, bad separation anxiety, and more). Many of these we’ve worked on since he came home 😢what resources of yours do you recommend I reference? Thanks in advance!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

It's never too late to get started! It seems like you may need some additional training help and support from our trainers to work with your pup a bit more! For some resources to check out, our KZbin channel has videos on each of those topics you mentioned above, so that's a great place to start! We also have an online training class, 30 Days to Puppy Perfection, for additional support and to dive in deeper. Enroll here: www.howtotrainadreamdog.com/puppy-perfection-course-learn-more/

[@sarariella]

I love this but I have a question! I now have had my pup for 6 days, and I think it might already have learned a view bad behaviours, I would love to redirect him but, he doesn’t want to wear a leash or collar and and in an harness he doesn’t want to walk, that’s because he is a tiny chihuahua, so even the smallest ones don’t fit or are to heavy. So we decided to wait till he is 10 weeks old, when he gets a little bigger. Can I still get good behaviour in that time period or is it to late and have i now inlisted some bad behaviours that will stay with him for the rest of our life. Thank you in advance ❤

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Hi Sara! Great questions. First off, congrats on your new furry family member. Such an exciting time in your life! Second, it's NEVER too late! Here are a few resources we'd love to point you to: Here is a recent reel we did on Instagram that has a great tip for getting a leash and collar on a pup who doesn't like to have them on: instagram.com/reel/Cm-BKCuJDMZ/? Next up is our New Puppy Starter Kit. It's full of everything you, a new puppy parent, might need to kickstart this puppy training journey: howtotrainadreamdog.com We'd also love to recommend our online course, 30 Days to Puppy Perfection. At our PRO level, you're able to record videos and our certified trainers can watch, respond and walk you through both what may be going on in your puppy's brain, but also what you can do next time to work through whatever training problems you may be having. The support is amazing! www.howtotrainadreamdog.com/puppy-perfection-course-learn-more/

[@lorrainethompson8326]

PUPPY phase, I am actually picking my 'Maltese' puppy up on 1/19/2023. She will be 8weeks old.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Congrats Lorraine! We bet you are getting SO excited - less than a week to go! There is much to do to prepare for your new puppy. Make sure to grab our free New Puppy Starter Kit - it's full of all the tips and lessons that you'll need right when you bring your new furry family member home. Grab it here: howtotrainadreamdog.com

[@ddsuarez]

I am struggling with feeling I am behind with training and especially the imprint thing. My pup will soon be 16 weeks, and I fear I have not exposed her to enough in the 5 weeks we’ve had her. When you say it could affect them for the rest of their lives, I lose confidence as her mom/trainer.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

First of all, remember you are an amazing pet parent and trainer. Don't let that discourage you. It is NEVER too late to start. We're glad you're here! Check out these great videos linked below on socialization. We recommend you get started right away! But make sure not to rush and go at your puppy's pace. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5m7n4SvrdyJi7s kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2XOcnaOqd6DY9E

[@LizNeptune]

4:22 the Internet, and the vet definitely scared me with the whole not letting them go anywhere the first 16 weeks thing… And I definitely feel like my girl dog develop bad habits because of that. she has a nervous personality. I barely let them out the house during that time cause I was so afraid I’d kill them smh

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

We understand that all too well - that is why we always try to educate puppy paw-rents on just HOW important that time period is for exposing your puppy to new things and socializing. Even if you missed those first 16 weeks, it's important to still work with your puppy, as it's never too late to start to socialize and introduce them to new things! It may just move at a slower pace or need adjusting. Go at your pup's pace. We are linking two great videos below full of tips on socialization and some easy ideas for when you're starting out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5m7n4SvrdyJi7s kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2XOcnaOqd6DY9E

[@PennyThompson618]

Bentley is currently 10 months old and definitely in the adolescent phase. He is a rescue and we've only been a family for about a week, so I didn't get to bring him up right as a baby puppy. Not sure how he was treated for his first few months. I do know that I am his third owner. The last one only had him for a week then brought him back to the shelter because "the cat didn't like him." Considering what I'm dealing with right now, that was probably not the true reason.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thank you for rescuing Bentley! Have lots of patience with him and let us know if you need any training tips!

[@PennyThompson618]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog Patient is not easy but things are slowly improving. He does have a problem with jumping and biting when I won't let him do what he wants to do. I'm dealing with it using "settle". He gets rewarded when he stops and sits still. A friend of mine has witnessed these episodes and think he has been trained to "play" this way. I can only guess at the intent. I'm just glad he wasn't good enough for whatever was planned for him.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Try to prevent the jumping and biting before it happens, that way it doesn't become a sequence of "jump + settle = treat". Have you seen this video? kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJO2YqmOj6d6hq8

[@PennyThompson618]

@@HowToTrainADreamDog Thanks. Hadn't see that video yet but I just watched. Bentley is getting better with the jumping and biting and seems to be less frustrated with me when I give him correction. I even got some full tail wags today when I let him out of his crate for a potty break. I hadn't been getting those wags yet. I can now recognize the signs so I'm more able to stop the jumping and biting before it starts. It's going to be slow going but I now believe we will eventually get there. Your videos definitely help.

[@aratinaniwadekar6576]

I have a 20 months Maltese....he is well pee trained...but has sudden spurts after few months of peeing a little at a particular site in the house i am not able to understand this behaviour....can u pl help me

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thanks for watching! This regression can happen at times to some pups. It's important to be a "puppy detective" to find the root cause of this regression or these accidents. We have a whole video on this topic that will be very helpful! You can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6XbmqWPbbqXp6M

[@christiedecker2724]

Just shy of 7 months, knows some things, but others we're having real problems with.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

This is a great video to remind you of all the development happening in her brain right now, and how regular and consistent training sessions are still so important.

[@sharonfawcett1040]

I have an 8week old puppy and she is biting.

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Biting is really normal for puppies but very aggravating for humans. Check out this video for some good suggestions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHOsZquFiKmEg9U

[@powerofthepaw]

Puppy is 3 months Adult is 3/4 years old Adult 6 years old What a great video thank you and the team!

[@HowToTrainADreamDog]

Thanks for watching!