Common Puppy Training Mistakes to Avoid When You Have Just Brought a New Puppy Home
Learn about common pitfalls to steer clear of when training a new puppy for a harmonious relationship
It's 2024. There is research. There is science. There are ethical, qualified professionals (like me!) who have invested a lot of time and effort on learning the theory (and practice) of dog behaviour and dog training. Yet, the internet is awash with some odd (and at times, frankly damaging) myths on how to train your puppy.
So what common puppy training mistakes should you avoid when you have just brought a new puppy home.
Let's do some myth busting….
Myth 1: “Yelp” when your puppy bites you
What is the idea behind this myth?
Puppies learn that their teeth are sharp when they are still with their mother and their littermates. Once a puppy begins to hurt his mothers teats, she may growl, get up and walk away and no longer feed them herself. Puppies also learn that when they play with their littermates and they use their teeth too vigorously, play time will be over!
What you shouldn’t do
Is there any evidence that puppies respond in the same way to the sound of a human “yelp” as they do to the yelps of their mother and littermates? Nope. In my professional experience, your puppy will probably ignore you and continue biting. OR, you may be one of those whose puppy gets even more excited by your yelp and continues to bite you with renewed vigour. And gosh do those teeth hurt!
What should you do instead
So, what should you do instead? There are several reasons why your puppy bites. Let's look at a couple of those now:
Lack of sleep. Your puppy needs 17-20 hours of sleep a day. If they are biting, grabbing at you and things around them they are highly likely to be over stimulated and in need of rest! Make sure your pup has a quiet, calm place to relax that won't disturb the quality of their sleep.
They have nothing appropriate to chew. All dogs need to chew. As owners we are well-aware that puppies need to chew (heads up: so do adolescents!). It's important for you to provide appropriate chews and to rotate them regularly. Make sure anything you give your dog to chew is safe: it should not splinter or break into pieces that your dog would swallow.
Excellent chew items include:
KONGS (these will save your sanity...I promise!) Make sure you get one that is appropriate to their size - all good pet shops can advise you on this
Safe, stuffed bones
Dental chews (we use the Yumove dental chews)
Teething puppy? Wet a flannel or kitchen towel, roll it up and freeze it. This will sooth their sore gums and give them something to do!
What should you do when they bite?
Don't react. Calmly interrupt and direct your puppy towards something more appropriate.
If they continue to bite your hands, stay calm and remove your pup to a safe space and give them a long-lasting chew or scatter feed (see my enrichment blog for more detail) to help reduce those arousal levels!
Myth 2: “Your dog is being aggressive and trying to achieve dominance. You need to show them their place at the bottom of the pack”
What is the idea behind this myth?
I am amazed people still harp on about doing this in 2024 and frankly, I am over this utter nonsense!
The dominance theory is a misleading interpretation of why dogs behave in the ways they do. It has resulted in people using training techniques that use punishment or physical force in order to “show the dog their place is at the bottom of the pack”.
How did the dominance theory come about? Early studies on wolf behaviour focused on observing a group of unrelated wolves in captivity. Researchers noted instances of aggression and competition among the wolves for essential resources such as food and mates. It was evident that the most assertive wolves consistently secured the highest-quality resources. Researchers proposed that dogs would similarly engage in conflicts to establish themselves as the dominant or "alpha" figure within their pack.
What you shouldn't do
Going through the door first, eating before your dog, standing over them when they eat are just some of the suggestions that I still see and hear of today which should, apparently, stop your dog being the “alpha” and realise their place. Enough of this nonsense. It's a debunked theory. Let's move on….
What you should do instead
I can assure you, your dog does not see you as competition for “top dog”. Unfortunately, despite robust scientific evidence there are still dog trainers who use aversive methods and tools to combat this misleading theory. Still, to this day, people are advocating jerking on the lead, the use of pet corrector sprays, choke chains and prong collars to name a few. All of which are damaging to the dog's wellbeing, the human/dog relationship, and ultimately, the effectiveness of the results you're trying to achieve. You can't scare or harm a dog into behaving the way you want them to. Fear shatters the bond between you and your dog and can escalate other behavioural problems.
If your dog consistently engages in a (dog) behaviour that you find bothersome, such as barking at you or pulling on the lead, reflect on what might be reinforcing that behaviour.
These behaviours do not indicate dominance or so-called ‘alpha’ behaviour. Your dog is not attempting to assert dominance and challenge your leadership; the explanation is much simpler and more obvious than that…..DOGS REPEAT BEHAVIOURS THAT GET REWARDED!
Rewards include visual engagement, verbal communication, and physical interaction.
If your dog performs a behaviour that you find unacceptable (remember, these are dog behaviours) and you are giving any of these rewards as a consequence - you need to change tactics and stop them immediately.
Myth 3: “Take your dog's food bowl away when he is eating… just because you can”
What is the idea behind this myth?
The ‘rationale’ for this statement is closely linked to the dominance theory….If you take his food away, it reasserts your place as the ‘pack leader’ and reminds them they are at the “bottom of the pack”. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I could take Rebel’s food bowl off him whilst he is eating but cannot think of a single reason why I would!
All this actually does is teach your dog to guard his food bowl. Let him eat in peace! Imagine going out for a lovely meal and out of nowhere the waiter pops up and takes your food from you. I for one would be absolutely livid!
What you shouldn't do
Take his food bowl away whilst he is eating (this can lead to behavioural issues down the line). Stand over him when he is eating (see previous point!). Eat before him (Why? What does this teach your dog?).
What should you do instead
When your pup first comes home, feed him using a couple of bowls. Put a portion of food in one bowl, when he has finished, take that bowl away and give him another portion in the other bowl. This means in future he will associate your approach with something positive!
Every now and again, when you walk past them whilst they are eating, you can try dropping an extra bit of food in their bowl. That way, they learn that people coming near while they're eating means good things happen. Yippee!
Myth 4: “You need to rub your puppy’s nose in their toileting mess when they have had an accident indoors”
What is the idea behind this myth?
The idea behind this myth is to teach your puppy that toileting indoors is bad. The myth is that by chastising them in this way, they won't go to the toilet in the house again. The reality is when you do find their accident, the chances are it’s been a while and your puppy has moved onto something else!
What you shouldn’t do
Do not chastise your puppy. They won't understand why you are punishing them. Rubbing their nose in it will only tell them that you’re angry at them for something and they won’t make the connection.
Moreover, if they associate an unpleasant reaction from you with occasions when they have toileted inside they might learn to avoid going to the toilet when you are present, which will create an even bigger problem.
What you should do instead
The key to effective toilet training is vigilance. As a minimum, an 8 week old puppy should be taken out every hour except during the night when it's around 3-4 hours.
Get to know the signs that they need to go. Notice any changes in their behaviour such as pacing, sniffing or spinning or behaving a little agitated. You will get to know your puppy’s signals very quickly if you are on it!
Reward them when they go to the place you want them to go.
Remember that accidents do, and will, happen and they are not your puppy’s fault. If your pup has an accident, pop them away somewhere safe, use an enzyme-based cleaner to clean away any residual odour that might encourage your puppy to use that area again. Take a deep breath, stay calm, clean it up and carry on! You are not alone and you will survive this!
Myth 5: “If your puppy cries at night - let them cry it out”
Why is the idea behind this myth?
If you pander to your puppy’s cries he will learn very quickly how to get what he wants. Plus, they aren't going to die there so what's the worst that will happen?
The fact is your puppy will cry for a number of reasons. They might struggle with being left alone. They might need the toilet. They might have been spooked by something. They might just be a bit cold.
What you shouldn't do
Let them cry it out. I firmly believe letting a puppy cry it out is not only heart-breaking for your puppy, but it is heart-breaking for you as well.
What should you do instead
Ignoring them teaches them when they are worried, you won't be there to help. It also does not address the underlying issue.
Address what the underlying issue is. Do they need a wee? Then take them out. Are they scared? Comfort them. Are they struggling with being alone? Get in touch with an ethical dog professional to help.
Myth 6: You can't train certain breeds
What is the idea behind this myth?
The idea behind this myth is that some breeds are just too stubborn to learn. But this simply isn't true!
Irrespective of breed or background, all puppies have the capacity to learn and reap the benefits of puppy training. Some dogs will pick things up very quickly and others will take more time and guidance.
What you shouldn't do
Stop training your dog or avoid training altogether simply because they “can't be trained”.
What you should do instead
Unfortunately, numerous new owners fail to dedicate sufficient time or try to understand how else they could motivate their puppy and then simply give up. While it's true that certain breeds may require more time to train and may not respond to traditional motivations, every puppy has the potential to learn and grow with the right approach. As a trainer I often see a dog having difficulty learning a new task because the dog is not being communicated to in a way that the dog can understand. Or, it is not properly communicated to them when they’ve done the behaviour correctly, and therefore have no way of knowing what you are asking of them.
Look at what your dog was bred to do! We should not be surprised that Collies need to chase, Retrievers need to pick things up, Terriers need to dig and Lurchers need to run!
Breed specific behaviours are hard-wired - they cannot be removed - only channelled.
Make sure you know what your dog was bred to do and give him/her an appropriate outlet for that behaviour.
If you are struggling to train your dog, find a kind, ethical trainer who uses positive reinforcement and has recognised qualifications.
I hope you found this blog helpful - if you want to know whether a common piece of advice about puppy training is fact or fiction, email me your question (sarah@barkerandhounddogtraining.com) and I'll tell you!