Twelve weeks is a turning point. Your puppy is past the wobbly newborn stage and starting to act like a small dog with opinions. This is the age where good habits stick fast, and bad ones do too.
Here is what I expect from a 12 week old pup, and what to work on this month.
I want to be straight with you, because most puppy advice gets this wrong. By 12 weeks, with a trainer helping, your pup should be fully housetrained and sleeping through the night.
Here is the timeline I give our clients:
If your 12 week old is still having accidents every day, that is not a phase to wait out. Something in the routine needs fixing, and it is usually a small thing. I wrote about this in your 12 week old puppy should not be having daily accidents.
One accident a week at this age is reasonable. One a day is a signal.
Your pup should walk into the crate on their own and settle without a fuss. If crate time is still a fight at 12 weeks, go back to the basics in how to crate train a puppy.
Safety: remove any bedding or toys your pup can destroy before leaving them alone in the crate.
At 8 weeks we were happy if your pup looked at you. At 12 weeks I want more.
Sit, down, and place should work the first time you ask, in a quiet room. Your pup should come running when you call their name inside the house. That is the base everything else is built on.
Keep sessions to 3 to 5 minutes, a few times a day. Short and fun beats long and boring every time.
Teething is in full swing. Your pup is not being mean, their mouth hurts and chewing helps.
Give them something legal to chew and put your shoes away. For the mouthing that comes with play, see how to stop puppy biting and nipping.
Start with a flat collar and a clip leash. We never walk dogs in a harness, because a harness shows a dog to lean into pressure, which is the opposite of what you want.
Practice in the house and the yard first. Let your pup drag the leash while you play, so the leash means good things.
You will read about the stop and stand method, where you freeze every time the leash tightens. It is fine for a few short sessions to show your pup not to fight the leash. Past that it gets boring for both of you and it falls apart the moment something interesting walks by. The method I use is play based, and it is in how to be the squirrel.
Socializing does not mean meeting every dog and person you pass. It means your pup can be near new things and stay calm.
A pup who can sit on a bench in Salt Lake City and watch the world go by has learned something far more useful than a pup who got to say hi to everyone.
This is my favorite part, and it is what separates a nice puppy from a dog you can live with.
Wait at the door. Wait for the food bowl. Four feet on the floor when someone comes in. Every one of these is your pup practicing the skill of not doing the first thing that pops into their head.
If you only work on one thing this month, make it coming when called.
Make it a game. Run away and let your pup chase you. Pay big when they get to you. Never call your pup to do something they dislike, or the word stops working.
Your pup is not going to hold a down stay while kids run past. They are not going to walk past another dog without noticing. Attention spans are short and that is fine.
Expect good habits at home and a pup who is learning. Do not expect a finished dog.
My 12 week old still has accidents. What is wrong?
Usually the schedule, the crate size, or too much free roam of the house. It is fixable. Ask your trainer to look at your routine.
How long should my pup sleep at night?
All night by 12 weeks, with training help.
Can my puppy go to a dog park yet?
I would not. Dog parks are where good manners go to die. Ask your trainer for better options.
How many commands should my pup know?
Fewer than you think, done well. Sit, down, place, their name, and a solid recall beats ten half learned tricks.
Is 12 weeks too late to start training?
Not at all. It is a great time to start.
We are a school, not a boot camp. Everything above is built on play, connection, and impulse control, and that is how we work with every pup who comes through.
Dependable Dog Guarantee: All pups who train with us will reach their goal or we will add additional sessions FREE until the pup is finished.
See our puppy training programs, or book a free training session and call us at 801-516-4012.
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