When should my dog start obedience training?

We think dogs should start obedience training immediately when you get them. If you get them as a puppy, you'll want to enroll them in a puppy class. Start your pup’s vaccines, and they will continue to be vaccinated and be current as the classes go on. They say puppies learn something new every day, so what we want them to do is learn the right things. If it's not a puppy and it's an older dog that you've adopted or acquired, again, you want to start with a routine right off the bat—where their food is, where their water is, where they're expected to go potty, their leash, walk, etc. And dogs love repetition and schedules, so they should probably pick up your family’s habits pretty quickly.

Straightaway. The first time you get a new dog from the shelter, or you get a puppy from a breeder, you're going to want to start training them to fit in with your lifestyle. That's going to involve feeding at set times, taking them out to the bathroom after you have fed them, or when they wake up from a nap. All of that is part of the training to get them used to your lifestyle. Once they've completed all vaccinations and your dog is safe to be around other dogs, you can also take them to a trainer, and that will depend on how old your dog is.

Obedience training should start as soon as possible. The sooner you can start, the better your success, especially in a younger puppy. When you start at a young age, you will have more success with basic obedience, particularly regarding socialization, which is often not focused on enough in young dogs.

Right away. Even as puppies, they're so smart. Using positive reinforcement is definitely the way to go. Negativity, yelling, stepping on their feet, choking them with choke collars, things like that really aren't recommended. I only say choke collars because I would say 90% of the time, people don't use them correctly. But use positive reinforcement. Give them a treat. It doesn't have to be something big. It can even be a hot dog. I love using hot dogs. I like to cut them up in super tiny pieces. Remember, they have great noses, so they know that that little piece of hot dog is worth any work they have to put forth. I like to toss them in a microwave after cutting them up really small for about 30 seconds. They turn into little rubber pieces, which are perfect for keeping a baggie in my pocket and rewarding any positivity.

It is recommended to start dog obedience training as early as possible, ideally when your puppy is around 8 to 9 weeks old. Puppy kindergarten classes or dog socialization classes are a great way to begin training your young dog.