How to Train a Three-Month-Old Puppy

Training a puppy that is as young as three months can be a difficult task. Although dogs this young are cute, they can be a handful and require proper training to become obedient pets. Training a new puppy should be a group effort and involve everyone in the house. Patience, time and a few proven training techniques can help transform your new puppy into the perfect family pet.

Instructions

  1. Housebreaking

    • 1

      Set your puppy up for housebreaking success by starting it off on a strict schedule. Develop an eating and bathroom schedule that has your puppy eating at the same time every day and going outside to use the bathroom every few hours.

    • 2

      Take your puppy outside first thing each morning. If it goes to the bathroom, reward it with praise or a treat. Every two to four hours, take your puppy outside again and wait for at least 20 minutes. If it goes to the bathroom, reward it. If it doesn't, take it back inside. Write down the times of the day when the puppy usually goes to the bathroom.

    • 3

      Confine your puppy in a crate or a small area when it goes to bed or when you leave it alone in the house. This will prevent it from going in the house while you are gone and will help regulate its schedule.

    • 4

      Gradually reduce the bathroom breaks until your puppy is being let out to go to the bathroom only a few times a day, making its schedule more manageable. If it goes in the house, take it outside as soon as you see the accident. Reward it only when it goes outside. Eventually your puppy will be fully trained to go to the bathroom outside and only at certain times during the day.

    Teaching Your Puppy Commands

    • 5

      Start teaching your puppy its name. Use its name when communicating as much as possible. Use treats as an incentive by rewarding it each time it looks at you or comes toward you when you say its name. This will allow it to understand its name and is the base of command training.

    • 6

      Enroll your puppy in an obedience class. This is a great way to socialize your puppy, and it will give the two of you one-on-one time to focus on training.

    • 7

      Continue to stimulate your puppy's brain by constantly giving it commands such as "sit," "lie down" and "come" throughout the day. With a puppy this young, you may have to physically but gently make it do the trick. For example, if you are teaching it to sit, gently press its bottom to the ground and then reward it. Use a reward such as treats as incentive when it does its commands correctly.

    • 8

      Take your puppy with you as many places as possible. Take it on walks, in the car or to dog parks. This will help develop a bond between you and your puppy as it grows up. If your dog feels close to you and respects you, training will be much easier.

    • 9

      Socialize your puppy by taking it to dog parks or dog day care or allowing it to interact with other dogs. The more socialized a puppy is, the more relaxed and well-behaved it will be in your home as the two of you continue your training.