Got a new Puppy? Read this first. 7 Best Puppy Training Hacks

There's a lot of things you can do with a puppy and the internet has a TON of advice, but here we'll discuss the most helpful hacks I used to raise a resilient, happy, obedient dog.

As a dog trainer of almost 14 years and having raised a puppy recently, (delta is now 2 years old,) here's what I would have you focus on in the first 6 months.

My curious German Shepherd puppy named delta tilts her head adorably while relaxing on the patio, with her bright teal collar against a brick backdrop.

Delta as an adult, content with her monster ball.

Best Puppy Training Hack #1: No job, no food.

Your puppy should get NO free food. Every bite is a chance to learn, a chance to work and play with you. A chance to align your goals with theirs and vice versa. So how do you work with them? I would start off by charging markers, shaping a few key behaviors (recalls, sends, stands, sits, and downs,) and I would also condition the crate with food. If your dog just gets food in a bowl, you're missing vital chances to teach them really important skills. Not just commands, but life lessons. When your dog is hand fed every bite for their first 6 months, they will almost certainly never exhibit food aggression, they'll be so conditioned to work WITH you and view you as an enigma they need to solve that you've not just trained them to perform tasks/commands and cooperation but more importantly they have learned collaboration. Also, for those of you who's head exploded when I said hand feed them for 6 months, hand feeding through training will take you no more than 20 minutes a day if you're doing it right and i have the video evidence from when delta was a puppy to prove it.)

Puppy Training Hack #2: Lap naps, crate naps.

Like sleep training a newborn, sometimes they should nap on you for additional bonding, and sometimes when they start crashing, you should place them in the crate. They'll learn to associate the crate with relaxation, which is important. EVERY SINGLE DOG should be crate trained. Even if you don't intend to use one, you'd rather your dog have that training so you have the flexibility. On an airline, in the var, at the vet...Your dog is GOING to be experiencing the a crate/cage at some point. And I think it's a tad unfair if their first real experience is in one of those environments especially if it's without you.

Hack #3: Make Puppy Leash Training Easy

When your dog is young, put them on a Flexi or a long line, and walk with them out in a field. That time exploring with you is invaluable. For confidence, for bonding...for everything. The most important thing here is that you DON'T teach them to "walk next to you" by giving them 4ft of leash and "holding them by you." You will not restrict a puppy into WANTING to be by you. When you want to go out exploring in a field say "lets explore" and then let the dog go crazy with all of that leash, that's fine. When you want the dog to stay close, say "stay close." And once you've said that, begin rewarding for check-ins. So we're teaching two different "modes." One where the dog can use the entire flexi if they want and the other where they are incentivized to be next to you.

Hack #4: Teaching a Puppy to Listen.

Discipline for a puppy should be swift and clear. If there is a thing they're not allowed to do, and they try it, say "no" and then give a sharp correction of some kind. When I say "sharp" I don't necessarily mean hard. If you consistently use this pattern correctly: "No."--->Correction, your "no" will become strong enough to correct on it's own within 72 hours or so.

Hack #5: Teaching Confidence AND Control.

A dog should be pushy in play, when we are trying to teach the dog to lean into their natural genetic confidence as a predator. But being pushy around the house is the fastest way to raise a puppy you hate. If it would be obnoxious when a full grown dog does it, don't let your puppy do it. Being a little pushy in play is great for your dog. But being pushy for your food, pushy for space in your room at night, pushy with your kids when they walk through the house, etc... All of that is a no-no.

Hack #6: Teaching Grooming and Handling Young

When your dog is young, you can begin trimming nails, handling ears, handling paws, squeezing glands in the legs and neck, etc. All of these activities should pay. Touch paws, pay (food.) Trim nails, pay. (for sensitive dogs, touch nails with the trimmer/dremel, then pay, work your way up to actually trimming, then pay it well with an entire pouch of food.) Look into ears, pay, etc. The best way to have an easy dog is to train them before they CAN EVEN BECOME complicated. Teach them to anticipate these activities ending really well for them and they'll never even think to hate it.

#6: Socialization/Exposure

This one isn't a "hack" it's more like doing the boring work that really shouldn't be avoided. But it's also so misunderstood that it could seriously be a post of it's own, and probably will be. Lets start with what socialization ISN'T. It's NOT trips to the dog park. It's NOT doggy daycare. "Socialization" as defined by the internet is really just getting your dog around as many dogs as possible but that's not what socialization is supposed to be at all. It is supposed to be exposure. To different places, different objects, different flooring, etc. Your dog needs to go into stores, walk on polished concrete, walk on grated steel, laminate, hard wood, tile, etc. Your dog needs to spend time in the company of every ethnicity (yes skin color is going to matter one day for many dogs.) Your dog needs to hear thunderstorms in a controlled way (thank you YouTube videos.) And YES you need to actively, purposely expose them to fireworks and even maybe some gunfire in controlled ways, BEFORE they can be afraid of them naturally. Your dog should taste a lot of different kinds of food. Your dog should work on getting up high on things, and crawling under things. THIS is how we create resilience in a puppy, long before the world can accidentally screw them up.

If you have a brand new puppy, congratulations. I'm thrilled for you, it's such a fun time. Of course these are the Best Puppy Training Hacks I use, but I could of couse never fit everything I do into a single blog post. If you ever need help, don't be a stranger, I'm not more than a text or email away. You can Text Perfect Pack Dog Training at 972-426-9277, email me at Chris@perfectpackdogtraining.net, or just submit a form contact request and I'll get back to you within 24hrs.