When Should Puppy Training Start

This is actually a trick question.

The accurate answer is that training starts the moment you interact with a dog, and it never stops. Training, like learning, is a continual, dynamic process. All training is, is the process by which a dog learns to navigate their environment.

Every moment your dog is watching you, and analyzing what you are doing for opportunities, for feedback, for interaction, for value. They watch you for how you interact with the environment so that they can learn from your actions and reactions. They notice when you are paying attention, and when you aren't.

This might be making you sweat a little - you didn't realise how important every move you make is, did you?

It really is.

This is terrifying because it means that if you aren't paying attention, if you are inconsistent, and if you are reactive in every day life, it means that your dog is going to figure out pretty quickly how to take care of themselves - and it very well might be in a way that is really annoying, or damaging.

Or dangerous.

Having a dog forces you to become self aware, to slow down, to become mindful. Every touch you give the dog is valuable information to them. Every moment of eye contact, of laughter, every frown is meaningful to them.

We are their environment. The dog will learn to control us so that they have control over their world.

Really, this is wonderful because once you are aware of this dynamic, it means that you can become intentional about interacting with your dog. It means you are going to give them immediate positive feedback when they are correct. It means you are going to stop bad strategems from developing into damaging habits. It means that you can train a dog to do some of the most complicated tasks in the world just through their close observation and response to you.

So start your puppy off right - be deliberate with what you are doing, and know what your goals are. If something is happening that you don't like, think about why and how your actions are shaping that behavior.

Remember, the key to success with dogs lies within the handler.