When Are Puppies Trainable?

The belief that puppies should start training at 6 months old is a myth hard to debunk. Truth is, puppies should be trained much earlier than believed. Experiences during a puppy's critical developmental stages will play a primary role throughout the puppy's entire life. Familiarizing with these important development stages is important because they will leave a profound and everlasting impression on the puppy's future. Training will also lay the groundwork for a trusting, mutually satisfying relationship between owner and dog.

  1. Socialization Training

    • A critical period of socialization in puppies generally takes place between 3 and 12 weeks of age. Upon being taken home at 8 weeks old, puppies must be heavily socialized so to learn to enjoy the company of other dogs and people. Because the puppy's series of immunization shots are not complete yet, it is best if the puppy meets different kinds of people and other healthy and vaccinated dogs in the safety of his home, explains veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman in an article for Pet Place. Socialization training at this age teaches your puppy to accept strangers and other animals so that he can recognize them as non-threatening.

    House Training

    • Puppies must be trained to go potty outdoors if their future entails living indoors. When it comes to house training, it is important not to expect too much from very young puppies. Puppies under 12 weeks old don̵7;t have complete bladder control yet and simply cannot hold it for too long. Praise them a lot at this age for successfully going outdoors. Generally, the majority of puppies are considered house trained by 4 to 6 months of age. However, you should not expect 100 percent reliability until the puppy is 8 to 12 months of age, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

    Bite Inhibition Training

    • Puppies need to learn how to inhibit their bite before they become capable of causing harm. The narrow window of opportunity to train your puppy to develop a soft mouth closes at around 18 weeks old, explains animal behaviorist and dog trainer Ian Dunbar in his book "After You Get Your puppy." It is essential for puppy owners to manifest that biting hurts. A sharp "Ouch!" followed by withdrawal from play may be sufficient to teach the puppy that human skin is extra sensitive. This is the same technique puppies resort to when a playmate bites too hard.

    Puppy Class Training

    • At the latest, before reaching 18 weeks old, take your puppy to puppy classes, according to Ian Dunbar. Such classes allow puppies to refine their knowledge about canine social etiquette and continue socialization. During these classes puppies also learn basic manners such as sit and lie down. Best of all, puppies further learn bite inhibition and puppy owners learn effective strategies to solve common puppy behavior problems.

    Ongoing Training

    • Dogs never stop learning and ongoing socialization is a must. As a puppy matures into an adolescent, he may encounter many challenges. During dog adolescence everything may start to fall apart and failure to continue working on the dog's education may result in an ill-mannered, undersocialized dog, further explains Ian Dunbar. Integrating short training sessions into walks and play sessions are key to polishing basic manners. Enrolling in further classes or fun canine sports may be a great way to allow the puppy to bloom into an obedient dog.