Training vs Managing a Puppy

How to Find the Right Balance

Raising a puppy involves a blend of structured training and day-to-day management. For new puppy owners, it's important to understand how much time to dedicate to training with food versus managing your puppy's behavior. Both are critical for setting a foundation for a well-behaved, confident dog. Let’s break down a 16-hour day.

Training with Food: 2-5%
Puppies are like sponges, quick to absorb new information—especially when paired with something they love: food! Around 2-5% of your daily interactions with your puppy should focus on structured training sessions using food as a reward. Keep these sessions short and fun, aiming for bursts of 30 seconds to 5 minutes throughout the day, spaced out between play, rest, and other activities.
Why use food? At this early stage, food is a primary motivator that reinforces positive behaviors quickly. It helps us communicate with our puppies in a way they understand, building their problem-solving skills and confidence. Whether it's basic obedience like "sit" and "down," or shaping more advanced behaviors, food rewards are a powerful tool for guiding your puppy's foundational learning.

Managing Your Puppy: 65% of Your Day
The majority of your day, about 65%, will be spent managing your puppy's environment and behavior. This includes crate training, sleeping in a crate, toilet training, supervising playtime, and ensuring your puppy stays calm and engaged when they're not actively learning.
Letting your puppy sleep: 30% (during the day)
Don't forget, puppies sleep for 18-20 hours per 24-hour cycle, depending on their age, with half of this sleep occurring overnight. As they approach 20 weeks of age, their sleep time gradually reduces to 13-15 hours. Sleep is crucial for their growth and development, so it's important to allow them the rest they need. After all, no one likes an overtired puppy!

Managing Behavior During the Day
During the management time, you're still teaching your puppy, but in a more passive way. For example:
• Ensuring they have safe boundaries when out of the crate.
• Guiding them on what’s appropriate to chew or play with.
• Using redirection to correct behaviors like nipping or jumping.

Management is about setting your puppy up for success by preventing unwanted behaviors from forming. It's less about structured commands and more about shaping how they interact with their environment and understanding your expectations. The goal is to gradually shift from intensive management to fostering confident, independent behavior as your puppy learns and grows. By integrating both approaches, you ensure your puppy gets the training they need while also learning how to navigate the world around them calmly and appropriately.