Puppy’s First Year Milestones!

The first year of your puppy’s life is full of new experiences --- and a lot of growing! From the day they come home to their very first birthday, each moment is exciting and fast-moving, and create memories that’ll last a lifetime! Ever wonder what some of those BIG moments are? Here’s a list of your puppy’s milestones to look forward to!

Puppyhood is full of so much newness, for you and your puppy! You’re figuring out the whole new puppy owner thing and they’re learning everything about life! It’s no easy feat but it’s one of the most rewarding journeys that anyone could ask for. Whether you have a new puppy or getting ready to bring one home, there a few major milestones that every puppy hits throughout their first year that you have to prepare for and get excited about! 

WANT TO MAKE PUPPYHOOD EASIER? SIGN UP TO RECEIVE FREE PUPPY TRAINING ADVICE EVERY MONTH!

Your Puppy Comes Home

@goldendoodleluckys

The best day ever! Bringing home a new puppy is the most exciting milestone of them all for you, your family, and of course, your puppy! You’ve gone through the steps of puppy-proofing your home, buying supplies for your puppy, finding a vet, and maybe even already decided on a puppy trainer. All of that preparation boils down to this very day! Whether you acquired your puppy from a breeder or rescued, you probably had the chance to meet with your puppy a few times and learned a little about their personality. But from the first day, you’ll get to see all the puppy energy, silliness, curiosity and everything in between start to come out!

Day one at home can be exhausting from the overstimulation of all the new faces, sounds and smells of their new environment, so don’t be surprised if your new puppy spends most of the day sleeping! You’ll see their full personality coming out over the next few weeks as they get more familiar with their new surroundings and family members. So even if they don’t remember the first day home as much, it’ll be one of the most memorable days for you!

Your Puppy Meets Their Vet

@doctorstevie

Very soon after you bring home your puppy, they should visit their new vet for their first check-up. Some breeders and rescues will take puppies for an initial assessment and preliminary vaccinations. We recommend scheduling a wellness exam for your puppy within their first week home so you can meet your new vet, receive a full pup evaluation in front of you, and set up their vaccination schedule which often also includes fecal sample tests, and flea and heartworm preventatives. If you’re thinking about your puppy participating in training classes or boarding them anywhere, many of these establishments require most or all vaccinations to help protect both your pup and the other dogs there from contracting illnesses. If you are still looking for a vet, it’s important to remember that in general, puppies start getting their vaccinations as early as six weeks of age, so you should consider this one of your first priorities after bringing home your puppy! 

Your Puppy Officially Ends Potty Training

Ah, the end of late-night potty trips to the yard or cleaning up accidents! This is a big one for all new puppy owners and definitely marks your puppy crossing over into adulthood! But by the time your pup is a year old, they will most likely have reached this achievement! Oftentimes this is accomplished within the first several weeks at home, but do not despair if it takes them a little longer! To ensure their success and speed up the process, keep your puppy on a regular potty schedule and give them a lot of praise and rewards for when they get it right! If accidents happen (and they will happen!) just remember to not get frustrated, clean it up and keep working on it!

Your Puppy Learns Their Name

@dogslove1st

This is a big one for all puppies! Your pup may have had a different name from their breeder or shelter but this one is their forever name and knowing it lays the foundation for their future training and bond with you. And it’s so exciting when you call out your puppy’s name the first time and they come trotting in! Luckily, with some practice and rewards, it takes puppies a short time (1-3 days!) to learn their name and start responding to it in any situation. Wondering how to teach your puppy their name? Play the name game!

TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF PUPPYHOOD BY SIGNING UP TODAY! LEARN ABOUT OUR ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL! PLUS GET OUR BLOGS & PUPPY TRAINING TIPS!

Your Puppy Makes New Friends

After your puppy receives their vaccinations, they’ll be ready to go out in the world to meet new people and dogs! It’s very exciting to see your little puppy make new friends especially other puppies! Socialization is crucial for your puppy to build confidence and understanding of how to interact with other people outside their immediate family and other dogs. Enrolling them in puppy training classes is a great way to not only get basic command training but built-in playtime! By having a puppy trainer present, they can monitor the puppies’ interactions and start to instill good play behaviors in your puppy.

Your Puppy Loses Their Puppy Teeth

@boopmynose @harley.and.zoey

Just like human babies, puppies teeth too! At around four months, their puppy teeth or milk teeth will start to fall out and their new adult pearly whites will grow in! During this time, it’s especially important to give your puppy plenty of chew toys to help them soothe their sore gums as the teeth are coming out. And it’s also a good idea to keep these toys handy to re-direct your puppy from destroying items like your shoes, furniture, and from chewing your hands, too!

Your Puppy Goes to Puppy Training

It’s never too early to start training your puppy but in general, at around three to four months old, your puppy will start going to a puppy training class! Here, your puppy will benefit from socialization and learning their basic commands. Not only are puppy training classes beneficial for your puppy, but you will have the opportunity to participate in their training and learn how to care, and communicate with your puppy! This is where the foundation will be built to set you up for a life with a well-mannered, well-balanced pup! A puppy trainer will also be an invaluable resource during this time as they can provide you with information, resources, and a support system for your puppy!

Your Puppy Gets Spayed or Neutered

Surgery is always a little scary, but many puppies will undergo routine spay or neutering procedures before the age of one. Having your puppy spayed or neutered has many benefits like helping prevent certain future health problems and surprise litters! This is also often a requirement for many facilities if you wish to board or use doggie daycares in the future. Your vet will be able to recommend the ideal time to schedule your puppy’s surgery, usually based on their size and breed, and help prep you with recovery guidelines to follow to ensure a speedy recovery.

Your Puppy Turns One

@chasetheminidood @jerseydoodles

After months of learning curves, late nights, potty accidents, new experiences and loads of cuddling, your puppy is finally turning one! It’s time to celebrate! They’ve accomplished so much in such a short time and together you have created memories to last a whole lifetime! Enjoy each day, not just these milestones, as puppyhood happens too fast. And remember to give yourself a pat on the back. Becoming a new puppy parent isn’t easy and takes a lot of dedication and hard work. But in the end, it’s all worth having a loyal best friend!

SIGN UP FOR THE PUPPY ACADEMY BLOGS, PUPPY TRAINING TIPS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND MORE!

How to Pick a Puppy Trainer!

You have your best friend, but now it’s time to think about getting them enrolled in a puppy training class! Your new trainer will ultimately help you communicate with your puppy and teach them good manners through basic command training and advanced training, which will strengthen your bond and relationship with them. It’s an important decision that you need to consider and research before taking the plunge into puppy training! Here are important factors to keep in mind when you begin your search!

A puppy trainer will help you instill good behavior in your puppy through training, troubleshooting ongoing problems, coach you on how to train and care for your puppy, and be a support system as your pup grows up into adulthood! Enrolling your puppy into a class will help build their confidence and provide a great controlled socialization environment where they can learn to be around other puppies and people. There are many trainers and training programs out there, many with different specializations, so it will ultimately be up to you to decide on a reputable trainer that fits you and your puppy’s needs, matches up with your personal preferences and standards, and has proven great results. So how do you do all of this? 

SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR TRAINERS ABOUT OUR PUPPY TRAINING PROGRAM AND ONLINE TRAINING RESOURCES!

Start by Setting Your Puppy Training Goals

@minidood_winston

Whether you are a totally new puppy owner or this is your 5th puppy, it’s always good to come into a puppy training situation with a clear plan. Set your goals for your puppy, like covering the basic commands, socialization, potty training, and leash-walking to name a few. When you do start reaching out to puppy trainers, having these goals will help you narrow in on trainers’ services and if they cover your specific needs. 

“Create a goal sheet of what you’d like your puppy to accomplish with the training. Trainers often specialize in different training areas so being clear on your goals can help you pick the one that suits your needs the best!”

— Tip from The Puppy Academy Trainer, Josh

Ask for References

It’s great to know that you are being directed toward a professional puppy trainer that is recommended by someone you know and trust. Lean on your family and friends for help figuring out what puppy trainers to reach out to if they have used a great on in the past! As a first-time puppy owner, having a support system is a huge bonus for providing care for your puppy. Perhaps someone you know has already been through this process and can give you insight based on their experience. Don’t just limit yourself to just your close relationships; branch out into your community and ask around in pet businesses. Social media is a great place to find a puppy trainer, too!

At The Puppy Academy, we like to think of our students as our ambassadors when they are out and about with their parents. Chances are if you are in the local Hermosa Beach area and see a well-behaved pup, they may be one of ours! But even if they aren’t or if you live across the country, take the opportunity to speak with the owner and ask them about their trainer! 

“If you see a well-behaved dog out with their owner, ask them where they got their puppy trained! So many of our new students come from referrals of past clients who were asked who trained their puppy. And don’t be afraid to ask! Owners love talking about their dogs, especially when you’re complimenting them on their great behavior. ”

— Tip from The Puppy Academy Trainer, Rebecca

Training Style and Range of Services

As we mentioned in the earlier section, there are many methods to puppy training with a wide range of disciplines from the basics to something advanced like service dog training. Ultimately it will be up to you to decide what fits your personal needs and goals. Take some time to meet with your potential new trainers, speak with them one-on-one to get to know them, and gauge their personality and people skills. You should also feel comfortable with their approach and talking to them candidly about your expectations or concerns. Are they patient and encouraging? Are they addressing your questions? Ask them what type of training methods they use. If possible, observe them in action while they are working with a puppy to see firsthand how they interact, and speak with the other puppy parents to get their opinions! If you’re not able to view a class live, oftentimes trainers will have videos you can watch on social media to get a better idea of their training style before you decide to work with them.

“It’s really important to like the trainer you’re working with. Pick a person who matches the personalities you enjoy and get along with, and it will make the whole puppy training process even more enjoyable for you! ”

— Tip from The Puppy Academy Trainer, Sparky

There’s many different formats of training programs available like group classes, private one-on-one training, full-day training and board and trains, so keep in mind what may work best for both your lifestyle, and your training goals. A great trainer will be able to recommend the best option for you to accomplish specific goals about your puppy’s behavior and be able to guide you toward the optimal learning environment for them.

Inquire About Your Trainer’s Experience

Ask your potential trainer about their experience background with questions like how many different dogs they’ve worked with (outside of their own, and friends and family’s dogs), who and where they’ve learned from or trained with, and what they consider their area of expertise to be in training. For example, some trainers love to work with adult dogs more than brand new puppies; some may specialize more in service and therapy dog training; some may do more behavioral training, which goes beyond obedience training, and so on. Knowing all this information will give you great insights into their qualifications and if they’re a great fit!

Be Involved in Your Puppy’s Training

@journeywithbleu

A good trainer will train you on how to handle your puppy and continue training at home to ensure they succeed. By being involved, you’ll learn how to align with your pup’s current training and ask questions if certain techniques aren’t clear to you. At The Puppy Academy, our trainers work with your puppy first in an all-day drop-off school format, then transfer that knowledge and training over to you during one-on-one training sessions throughout the program. This approach allows us to train your puppy to perfect their commands and eliminate any confusion your pup may have trying to understand the same commands being delivered in a different way by their owner. It also takes the pressure off of you trying to figure out the correct way to deliver commands and getting your puppy to perform them correctly!

With any puppy trainer that you decide to move forward with, remember to keep in mind: setting your goals, asking for help finding a reputable trainer, doing your research on their training style and background, and staying involved in your pup’s training will get you well on your way toward puppy training success! 

LEARN TRAINING TIPS STRAIGHT FROM OUR TRAINERS! GET THE PUPPYHOOD MADE EASY BLOG SENT WEEKLY!