People ask me for a puppy training schedule all the time. They want to know what to work on at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months. It is a fair question. Here is the honest answer first, then the month by month plan.
A schedule is a guide, not a deadline. Puppies are not machines. Some pups pick up a skill in two days. Some need two weeks. What matters far more than hitting a date is that you work on the right thing at the right stage, and that your pup is having fun while doing it.
We are a school, not a boot camp. Everything below is built on play, connection, and impulse control. Not on pushing a scared puppy through a checklist.
Less than you think. Three to five short sessions a day, about 3 to 5 minutes each. That is it.
Short sessions beat long ones every time. A puppy brain fills up fast. Stop while your pup still wants more, and they will come running the next time you pull out the treats.
The rest of the day is not wasted. Every time you feed, open a door, or clip on a leash, you are shaping a habit. Those small moments add up more than a long session ever will.
Your pup just left their litter. The whole job right now is helping them feel safe with you.
Work on their name, coming to you when you call, potty on a schedule, and loving the crate. Start handling their paws, ears, and mouth so grooming and vet visits are easy later.
Start crate work on day one. Done right, most of our clients see a pup sleeping through the night by night 3 with a trainer helping. Read how to crate train a puppy for the full plan.
Safety: remove any bedding or toys your pup can destroy before leaving them alone in the crate.
This is the window that matters most. Your pup is deciding what is normal in the world.
Show them new sounds, floors, people, and places while they are calm. Calm is the goal, not excited. A pup who can watch a skateboard go by and look back at you has learned something far more useful than a pup who got to chase it.
Bite work starts here too. Puppy teeth hurt, and that is normal. See how to stop puppy biting and nipping.
Safety: ask your trainer which places are a good fit for your pup right now. Ask your vet about disease risk in public spaces before you go.
Now we build real skills. Sit, down, place, and a recall you can count on in the house and yard.
Add a little duration. Can your pup hold a sit while you take one step back? Two steps? That is impulse control, and it is the skill that makes every other skill work.
Teething peaks around now. Keep safe chews out and put your shoes away.
Start with a flat collar and a clip leash. We never walk dogs in a harness. A harness teaches a dog to pull into pressure, which is the opposite of what you want.
You will read about the stop and stand method, where you freeze every time the leash goes tight. It is fine for a few short sessions to show your pup not to fight the leash. Past that it gets boring and frustrating for both of you, and it does not hold up in the real world.
The method I use instead is play based. Make yourself more interesting than the distraction. That is the whole game, and it is covered in how to be the squirrel.
Here is where most owners get discouraged. Your polite puppy starts ignoring you. Nothing is broken. Your dog is growing up.
Do not stop training. Go back to easier versions of what your pup already knows and pay well for them. Keep sessions short and fun.
This is the stage where having a trainer in your corner saves you months.
Skills that only work in your kitchen are not skills yet. Take them on the road.
Practice at a quiet park, then a busier one. On a Salt Lake City sidewalk. Outside a store. Each new place is a fresh start for your dog, so drop your standards a little and build back up.
Now we want a dog who can wait. Wait at the door. Settle on place while you eat. Leave the dropped food alone.
Waiting is a muscle. Every rep makes the next one easier, and a dog who can wait is a dog you can take anywhere.
By a year, the goal is that you stop thinking about training. Your dog just does it, because it is how life works in your house.
Keep practicing anyway. A few reps a week keeps everything sharp.
You are not behind. I have shown plenty of 2 year old and 5 year old dogs these same skills, and they learn fine. Older dogs often learn faster because they can focus longer.
Start where you are. Pick the first thing on this list your dog cannot do yet, and start there.
Is there an age that is too late to start?
No. Starting early is easier. Starting late still works.
How long until my puppy is trained?
It depends on the goal and on how much you practice. Most of our clients see real change in the first few sessions. Ask your trainer for a straight answer on your specific goal.
Should I use treats forever?
No. Treats are how we pay for new skills. Once a skill is solid, we fade them out and life rewards take over.
My puppy knows this at home but not outside. Why?
Dogs do not generalize the way we do. Every new place is new. Practice everywhere.
What if my puppy is not on schedule?
That is normal and it is usually fine. If something worries you, ask your trainer.
This is the schedule we use at Train Walk Poop. If you want a trainer walking it with you, that is what we do.
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 what is next for your pup in your puppy should know this by now, or look at our puppy training programs.
When you are ready, book a free training session or call us at 801-516-4012.
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