Puppy Training Timeline: What Your Puppy Should Learn at 8 Weeks, 12 Weeks, 16 Weeks, and 6 Months
Bringing home a puppy is exciting—but also overwhelming. One of the most common questions we hear from new puppy owners in Chicago is:
“Am I teaching my puppy the right things at the right time?”
The truth is, puppy training starts the day they come home.
Here’s a simple timeline to help you stay on track.
8–10 Weeks: Building Trust & Routine
At this age, focus on:
- Name recognition
- Potty training
- Crate comfort
- Handling paws, ears, and body
- Positive exposure to sounds and people
Your puppy doesn’t need perfection—they need confidence.
10–12 Weeks: Foundations
Now is the perfect time to introduce:
- Sit
- Down
- Recall (“Come”)
- Leash introduction
- Calm greetings
Short sessions (2–5 minutes) work best.
12–16 Weeks: Socialization & Structure
This is one of the most important developmental windows.
Expose your puppy to:
- City sidewalks
- Different surfaces
- Friendly dogs
- Children
- Outdoor cafés
- Car rides
At this age, we also begin:
- Impulse control
- Place command
- Loose leash walking
- Waiting at doors
4–6 Months: Adolescence Begins
Many owners think training is “done” by now—but this is when consistency matters most.
Common challenges:
- Selective hearing
- Jumping
- Pulling
- Testing boundaries
This is where structure, accountability, and consistency become essential.
Looking for Puppy Training in Chicago?
At Back to Basics Dog Training, we help first-time puppy owners build calm, confident dogs from day one.
Book your puppy evaluation today and start strong.
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