10 Things You Should Teach Your Puppy Before He Is One Year Old

Have you ever run into a dog at the dog park, or had to babysit a dog for a friend, only to find that they don’t have any kind of canine manners? That is because they have not been properly trained. Here are the 10 things you MUST teach your puppy before he turns one, so you can have the best dog on the street!

 

Okay, we’ll start with the basics …

 

Training bath. We all know that it is important to teach your puppy where to go to the bathroom, but it is just as important to teach him to let you know WHEN he needs to go to the bathroom. You might think that it is easier to teach your puppy to go at pre-set times (after meals and just before bed), and it is true. However, there may be times in your dog’s life (such as when he is unwell) when he needs an extra stop.

 

It’s a great idea to teach your dog to let you know when he needs to go outside. Or, you can teach your dog to answer your question “do you need to go to the bathroom?” No, seriously: if you ask this question every time he goes out to relieve himself, he will eventually associate that phrase with going to the bathroom. So when you ask the question, they will not be interested or will jump in ready to go. Trust me, this comes in handy later in your dog’s life.

 

Sit, stay, let go. It seems to me that I shouldn’t have to mention this, but I’m amazed at how many dogs don’t sit when commanded! The sooner you teach your puppy, the better. Drop can be particularly difficult for puppies, but it is worth persevering. The Release command is quite a submissive action for a dog, and it can be very useful when there are small children around, putting the dog below them in terms of height.

 

Walk on leash and off leash with you. Going for a walk should be fun, but not out of control. Teach your puppy from a young age to stay still while putting on the leash (and the collar if not worn indoors). When walking, your dog should walk beside you, not in front, and not wander all over the place sniffing and urinating. Your dog may have some “free time” (see later in this article), but most of the walk should be at your side and calm.

 

It’s also a good idea to teach your dog to walk alongside you off the leash (once he’s mastered the leash, of course). It is best to start this in your own fenced yard before moving outdoors. And always take the initiative with you as a backup. However, this is very useful if your dog somehow gets off or off the leash when outdoors. You should be able to call them and then put them on a leash or take them home without one.

 

Get and release. Throwing a ball or Frisbee and getting it to catch is a great game for a puppy. It’s great exercise, it’s fun, and they’re with you! However, it is just as important that you teach your puppy to drop the ball or Frisbee when they return to you. Actually, it is more important: they must recognize that you are in charge of the game and that the ball is always returned to you.

 

DO NOT fight the dog for the ball or Frisbee, and do not allow them to “play growl.” Tug is a separate game that is played with a tug-of-war toy. In Fetch they always have to give you the ball back. If they don’t, stop playing.

 

puppy tag. When your puppy meets another dog or cat, he needs to know the proper etiquette to introduce himself. Puppies generally learn this from their littermates, but I have seen many cases where obviously puppies were removed from their litter too early and have no idea how to behave around other animals.

 

You will know if your puppy has a problem by how he behaves when guests arrive. A well-behaved puppy will approach visitors and want a pet or some attention, but will not demand it. Misbehaving puppies demand attention by pushing their nose towards people or by jumping. If your puppy does any of these, chances are he won’t be too good around the new animals, either. And that could spell trouble at the dog park! Nip it in the bud now.

 

Do not jump. Continuing with our point on etiquette, you may think it’s cute now that your pup jumps onto your legs to get attention or tries to jump onto your lap. But wait until he’s a grown dog, or when they test him on a frail elderly person and knock him down. Don’t jump on people, ever.

 

Sharing food and toys. This is a very important lesson to teach if you have, or plan to have, other animals or children in the home. Some dogs can be very possessive, especially with their food and / or toys. Puppies should be taught at a young age that nothing is only theirs, not their food or their toys. You need to start this training when they are young. Remove the toy or food from the dog and give it to your child to return to the dog. This teaches the dog that things come back, he will not necessarily lose them forever.

 

If you have another animal, especially another dog, make sure both (or all) of the dogs play with all of the toys. No toy belongs to any dog.

 

go to your bed. Your dog needs a “safe” area, a place where he can go to rest, sleep, or eat his food. This can be your bed, a rug, or even your cage. Teach them from a young age to go there to order. This way, if the puppy misbehaves, you can send him away for a while with this command.

 

“Free time. OK, did I mention this when we talked about leash walking. It is important that your dog is allowed some free time to run and play and goof around and sniff things and urinate on things. Teach your dog early using the word “free” spoken out loud and you will happily train him so that he can now be himself! This is a great command to use at the dog park. You should also have an “out of place” word for them to come back to you when it’s time to go home or put the leash back on. Either calling them by name, or “come”, or whatever word you use.

 

Who is in charge. If you’ve been able to teach your puppy all of the above behaviors, then you’ve also taught your dog who’s in charge – you!

 

If you teach your puppy to be a well-behaved, well-mannered puppy, then you will have a dog that you can be proud of later in life.