Dog Training Tips: Basic Things Your Puppy Should Learn

When a dog finally listens, responds, and behaves the way you hoped, it feels like a proud moment—But that doesn't happen by accident. Good behavior isn’t something dogs are born knowing. It’s built through training, repetition, and patience, often starting in the early days when your pup is still figuring out the world. Training your dog is a process that shapes how smoothly daily life unfolds for both of you.

The good news? All dogs can learn—whether you’re starting with young puppies or working with adult dogs later in life. From simple commands to advanced skills, training is really about clear communication, consistent expectations, and setting healthy boundaries. Below is a practical, real-life guide packed with training tips to help your pup grow into a confident, well-mannered companion, learning at their own pace.

Key Takeaways

• Dog training is a gradual process built on consistency, patience, and clear communication, whether you’re working with young puppies or adult dogs.

• Starting training as early as 8 weeks old helps prevent bad habits and sets clear expectations before unwanted behaviors become routine.

• Positive, reward-based methods like luring, capturing, and marker training make learning easier and strengthen trust between you and your dog.

• Foundational skills such as potty training, crate training, recall, and socialization shape good behavior and confidence in everyday situations.

• Long-term success comes from keeping training sessions short, practicing in different environments, and supporting learning with mental stimulation, exercise, and humane tools.

At What Age Should You Begin Puppy Training?

You can—and should—start puppy training as early as 8 weeks old. At this stage, puppies are soaking up information quickly, even though they have short attention spans. Beginning early helps prevent bad habits from forming and sets expectations before unwanted behaviors become routine.

However, that doesn’t mean long drills or strict rules. Early training is about introducing structure, rewarding curiosity, and helping your pup understand what’s acceptable. Your dog’s age affects how fast they learn, but even older dogs can pick up new skills with the right approach. Remember, learning doesn’t stop after puppyhood, so don’t worry if you’re starting later than planned.

The key is to start training immediately and stay consistent. What seems cute now—jumping, nipping, barking—can turn into behavioral problems later if left unchecked.

The Three Core Dog Training Methods

Most dog training techniques fall into three foundational approaches. You’ll likely use a mix of all three during training sessions, depending on what you’re teaching and how your pup responds.

1. Luring

Also called lure and reward training, this method uses something your dog wants—usually food—to guide them into a specific action. This works especially well for food-motivated pups and for teaching basic commands like sit or down.

You hold the treat near your dog’s nose and guide their movement. Once the desired behavior happens, you reward good behavior immediately. Lures can be food, a favorite toy, or even another person or dog. The key is motivation.

This approach fits naturally into positive reinforcement training and helps dogs clearly connect actions with outcomes.

2. Capturing

Capturing focuses on rewarding behaviors your dog already does naturally. If your dog lies down calmly or stays quiet when the doorbell rings, you mark and reward that moment.

Over time, your dog learns those actions are desired behaviors and repeats them more often. This method is especially helpful for reinforcing calm behavior and reducing excessive barking when your dog barks unnecessarily.

3. Marker Training

Marker training uses a clear signal—like a word, such as yes, or a clicker—to tell your dog the exact moment they did something right. Clicker training is popular because it’s precise and consistent.

The marker bridges the gap between the behavior and the reward, making learning faster and clearer. Marker-based methods are a cornerstone of positive reinforcement techniques and work well during short, focused training sessions.

Choosing the Right Treats

Because rewards are central to training, choose treats wisely. Look for small, healthy options your dog loves. High value treats—like freeze-dried meat—are especially useful when teaching new tricks or working in distracting environments.

Dental treats can be optional rewards during tougher lessons, while everyday treats work for familiar commands. As your dog improves, begin fading treats gradually, replacing food with praise, play, or a favorite toy.

Essential Puppy Training Skills to Focus On

Training works best when it’s structured but flexible. Puppies learn through repetition, clear cues, and rewards, not long lectures or strict corrections. Because puppies have short attention spans, it’s important to keep training sessions short, upbeat, and consistent. Below are the foundational skills every pup should learn early.

Toilet Training

Potty training is often the first big challenge for new dog owners, but it’s also one of the basics your puppy should learn. Establishing good bathroom habits early helps prevent accidents, frustration, and long-term bad habits.

A predictable routine teaches your pup where and when it’s appropriate to go, whether that’s outdoors or on an indoor grass pee pad for dogs. Consistency matters far more than speed, and patience is essential—accidents are part of the process.

The following are tips to start potty training:

• Take your puppy to the designated bathroom spot immediately after eating, drinking, waking up, or playing, since these moments often trigger the need to go.

• Use the same word or phrase every time your pup goes potty so they associate that cue with the action.

• Reward good behavior immediately after your puppy finishes, reinforcing that they did the right thing.

• Watch for common signals like circling, sniffing, pacing, or whining, which often mean your puppy needs to go out.

• Stay calm during accidents and avoid punishment, as fear can slow progress and cause confusion.

When paired with crate training, potty training becomes much easier because puppies naturally avoid soiling their sleeping space.

Teach Them to Use a Crate

Crate training helps puppies feel secure while also supporting potty training, independence, and calm behavior. When introduced correctly, a crate becomes a safe retreat—not a punishment.

Dogs are den animals by nature, and a crate gives them a quiet place to relax, especially when the house feels busy or overwhelming. It can also reduce separation anxiety by teaching your pup that alone time is safe and temporary.

Introduce crate training gradually by:

• Leaving the crate door open and allowing your puppy to explore it freely at their own pace.

• Placing treats, bedding, and toys inside the crate to create positive associations.

• Feeding meals in the crate once your puppy is comfortable entering it on their own.

• Closing the door for short periods while you’re nearby and slowly increasing the duration.

• Avoiding force or punishment, which can cause fear and resistance.

With consistency, your puppy will begin choosing the crate on their own when they need rest.

Getting Your Dog’s Attention

Before any commands truly work, your puppy must learn to focus on you. Attention training teaches your dog that checking in with you is rewarding and important, even when distractions are present.

Eye contact builds communication and sets the stage for everything from leash training to advanced skills later on. This exercise is especially helpful when training in busy environments or around other dogs.

Build attention and focus by:

• Holding a treat near your face and calmly asking for attention.

• Rewarding your puppy the moment they make eye contact with you.

• Gradually increasing how long they hold eye contact before receiving the reward.

• Practicing first in a quiet room, then slowly adding distractions.

• Reinforcing calm focus rather than excitement or jumping.

This skill makes every other command easier to teach and maintain.

Recognizing Their Name

Teaching your puppy to respond to their name is a simple but essential part of training your dog. Their name should always signal something positive and encouraging, never punishment.

When your puppy learns that hearing their name means good things happen, they’ll naturally pay attention when you call.

Strengthen name recognition by:

• Saying your puppy’s name in a cheerful, clear tone throughout the day.

• Rewarding them whenever they look at you after hearing their name.

• Practicing in different situations, such as during play or mild distractions.

• Avoiding overuse of their name when they’re ignoring commands.

This skill lays the groundwork for recall, focus, and safety.

“Come Here” (Recall Training)

The recall command is one of the most important skills your puppy will ever learn. It’s not just about obedience—it’s about safety.

A reliable recall can prevent dangerous situations, whether your puppy slips out the door or gets distracted in a new environment.

Teach recall gradually by:

• Calling your puppy’s name first to get their attention.

• Using a happy, inviting tone when saying “come.”

• Rewarding immediately with praise and a high value treat when they reach you.

• Practicing at short distances before increasing space.

• Ending each recall with a release cue so coming to you doesn’t feel like the end of fun.

Never punish your puppy after they come to you, even if they were misbehaving beforehand.

Teaching Your Dog to Socialize

Socialization teaches puppies how to feel comfortable and confident around people, other dogs, and unfamiliar situations. Well-socialized dogs are less likely to develop fear-based reactions or behavioral problems later. This process works best early but continues throughout your dog’s life.

Support healthy socialization by:

• Introducing your puppy to a variety of people, animals, and environments gradually.

• Allowing calm, positive interactions rather than forced encounters.

• Visiting different environments such as parks, sidewalks, and pet-friendly stores.

• Rewarding calm behavior during new experiences using capture techniques.

• Enrolling in a structured training class for safe, supervised interaction.

Every positive experience helps your puppy build trust and confidence.

Sitting on Cue

The “sit” command is often the first formal command puppies learn, and it plays a big role in impulse control. Sitting helps manage excitement during greetings, feeding, and new situations. It’s also a foundation for many other commands.

Reinforce sitting by:

• Using a treat to guide your puppy’s head upward and back.

• Saying the word “sit” clearly as their body lowers.

• Rewarding immediately once they sit fully.

• Practicing in multiple locations to help generalize the behavior.

• Gradually reducing treats once the command becomes reliable.

A calm sit often prevents jumping, barking, and overexcitement.

Not Chewing the Wrong Items

Chewing is normal and healthy, especially for puppies, but guidance is essential to protect your home and also keep your pup safe. Puppies chew to explore their surroundings, soothe teething discomfort, and burn off excess energy.

Without proper supervision and appropriate chew options, this behavior can lead to injuries such as cuts in the mouth, bite-related wounds, or even the accidental swallowing of objects—some of the most common puppy accidents reported by pet insurance providers. Teaching appropriate chewing habits early helps reduce safety risks while saving you frustration and costly vet visits later.

Encourage good chewing habits by:

• Providing safe, durable chew toys suited to your puppy’s size.

• Rotating toys regularly to keep them interesting.

• Redirecting your puppy to an approved toy when they chew something inappropriate.

• Puppy-proofing your space to reduce temptation.

• Using pet-safe deterrent sprays on items you want protected.

Consistency teaches your puppy what’s theirs—and what’s not.

Making Training Work Long-Term

Successful training isn’t about doing everything at once—it’s built through regular practice, patience, and a willingness to adapt to your dog’s needs. Keeping training sessions short and frequent helps maintain focus, while mixing in mental stimulation—such as puzzle toys and treat-dispensing dog toy balls—keeps learning fun and engaging.

Pair that mental work with enough exercise, and you’ll have a dog that’s better able to focus and settle. Practicing in different environments helps your dog generalize new skills beyond the home, while adjusting expectations based on your dog’s age keeps progress realistic and positive. It’s also important to avoid tools like prong collars that can damage trust and instead rely on reward-based methods supported by the American Kennel Club. Training should be something both you enjoy, because when dogs clearly understand what’s expected of them, they’re more relaxed—and so are you.

More Dog Training Tips

Training your dog is an ongoing journey, not a one-time task. Puppies grow, older dogs adapt, and routines change. With positive reinforcement, consistency, and patience, good behavior becomes second nature.