Training in the first weeks is less about commands and more about teaching your puppy that being near you is safe, predictable and rewarding. Two or three minutes at a time is genuinely enough.
Quick answer: key takeaways
- Keep sessions to two or three minutes, several times a day.
- Reward what you want; manage the environment to prevent what you don’t.
- Use your puppy’s daily food allowance so training does not overfeed them.
- Finish while your puppy is still enjoying it.
The four foundations
- Name response: say the name once, reward the head turn.
- Coming to you: reward every time your puppy chooses to come, whether asked or not.
- Settling on a mat: reward calm lying down with quiet treats.
- Handling: brief touches of ears, paws and collar, each followed by a treat.
How to run a session
Choose a quiet room with no distractions, take ten pieces of food, and work for two minutes. Stop before your puppy loses interest, and always end on something they can do easily.
Building confidence
- Introduce new surfaces, sounds and objects one at a time.
- Let your puppy choose to approach — never carry them towards something worrying.
- Pair anything new with something good happening at a comfortable distance.
Methods to avoid
Leading welfare and veterinary behaviour bodies recommend reward-based training and advise against aversive methods such as shouting, lead jerks, alpha rolls, spray collars or shock collars. These increase fear and can make behaviour worse.
What is normal, and when to seek help
- Slow progress and inconsistent responses are entirely normal at this age.
- If your puppy shows persistent fear, freezing or avoidance around everyday things, speak to your vet and a qualified, reward-based trainer early.
Helpful essentials for early training
Only useful once you are training regularly. Treats should be tiny and taken from the daily food allowance where possible.
- • Small, soft training treats
- • A treat pouch
- • A comfortable lead or long line
Week 1 Puppy Settle-In Guide
A gentle seven-day plan covering routines, rest, toilet trips, feeding and short training moments.Get this free guide