Puppy Development

Actually, 8 weeks is a great time to begin. We are not expecting an 8-week-old puppy to behave like an adult dog. At this age, we are building the foundation—confidence, safe socialization, handling, routines, engagement, and the ability to settle. Think of it as teaching your puppy how to learn, not just teaching commands.

That is exactly when we want to slow down and pay attention. I don't believe in throwing a nervous puppy into a busy environment and calling it “socialization.” We watch your puppy's body language, adjust the environment, create appropriate distance, and give them time to process. The goal is not to make your puppy “tough.” The goal is to help your puppy feel safe enough to become confident.

No—and this is one of the biggest misunderstandings about puppy socialization. Your puppy does not need to greet every dog they see. 

Sometimes the most valuable lesson is:

“I see that dog. I don't need to run over there.”

That's where our Active Neutrality work comes in. Your puppy learns to notice people, dogs, sounds, and movement without automatically reacting to them.

Because the world can feel very different when you're four pounds instead of forty. A person leaning over you can feel enormous. A large dog running toward you can be terrifying. Being picked up every time something scary happens can also prevent a puppy from learning how to process the environment. With small dogs, I pay very close attention to physical safety, emotional safety, distance, handling, and the puppy's sense of control. Small doesn't mean simple.

Depending on age, personality, and needs, we may work on potty training, crate training, name recognition, engagement, leash skills, recall foundations, handling, grooming preparation, bite inhibition, settling, car rides, environmental confidence, neutrality, and public manners. The program follows the puppy—not the checklist.

I'll help establish the foundation, absolutely. But I also want you to understand something: potty training doesn't end when your puppy comes home. Your puppy needs a consistent routine, appropriate supervision, realistic expectations, and good management. Especially with very small puppies, those little bladders don't give us much room for mistakes!

We can work on it—but I don't want to simply make your puppy tolerate the crate.I want to understand why the puppy is struggling. Is the puppy overtired? Frustrated? Overstimulated? Not ready for that duration of separation? Has the crate become associated with isolation?

Then we build the skill gradually.

The goal is to teach your puppy:

“I can be alone and still be okay.”

I call this building the solitude muscle.

First—take a breath. Puppies explore the world with their mouths. Biting doesn't automatically mean you have an aggressive puppy. We look at what's happening around the biting. Is your puppy tired? Overstimulated? Frustrated? Looking for interaction? Needing an appropriate outlet? We work on bite inhibition, redirection, engagement, appropriate chewing, and—very importantly—helping puppies learn when it's time to stop and rest.

Yes—and I really want to start this early with small dogs. Your puppy may need grooming, nail care, veterinary exams, medication, harnessing, bathing, and other handling for the rest of their life.

I don't want their first lesson to be:

“Someone grabbed me and wouldn't let go.”

We introduce handling gradually and make it predictable.

That's part of the foundation. We work toward appropriate behavior around the kinds of things your puppy will encounter in real life—people, dogs, sounds, movement, surfaces, cars, new environments, and distractions. The goal isn't a puppy who freezes beside you.

It's a puppy who can experience the world, process it, and stay connected to you.

This is the framework I created to understand what's happening with the dog before deciding what training they need.

Biome: What's happening biologically and environmentally?

Boundary: What structure, expectations, and management does the puppy need?

Bridge: How do we build communication, engagement, trust, and skills between puppy and owner?

In simple terms:

Understand the dog before you train the dog.

No. Your puppy may learn “sit,” “down,” “come,” and other useful skills—but obedience is only one piece of raising a stable dog.

I care just as much about whether your puppy can:

• recover after something surprises them
• settle after excitement
• walk past another dog
• tolerate handling
• be alone for appropriate periods
• engage with you in a new environment
• make good choices when distracted

A puppy can know every command and still struggle emotionally.

That's why we look at the whole dog.

No—and anyone promising that at 8–16 weeks is selling you a fantasy.

Your puppy is still developing. What I can give you is something much more valuable: a strong foundation and a clear roadmap for continuing it. You will know what your puppy has learned, what still needs work, and how to continue building those skills at home.

Absolutely. Prevention is one of the best reasons to start early. You don't have to wait until your puppy is barking, lunging, terrified of the groomer, or refusing the crate before getting help. Sometimes the best time to work with a professional is when things are going well.

Let's keep them going well.

Your participation matters. I can give your puppy excellent experiences while they're with me, but your puppy lives with you. You need to understand what we're teaching, why we're teaching it, and how to continue it. I'm not interested in creating a puppy who behaves beautifully for me and then comes home confused. I want to build the bridge between you and your dog.

I'm trying to help you raise a dog who can think, recover, communicate, settle, and trust their handler. Because the goal isn't simply a puppy who knows what to do. The goal is a puppy who feels capable of navigating the world. And that is where the real training begins.