Dog's Start of Life
Socialization Window
The critical socialization period (3–14 weeks) shapes your puppy's entire future. Expose them to diverse people, animals, surfaces, sounds, and environments in a positive, controlled way. Every safe experience now prevents fear-based reactions later.
House Training
Consistency is everything. Take your puppy out after waking, eating, playing, and every 1–2 hours. Reward immediately after they go outside. Never punish accidents — just clean up and be faster next time.
Bite Inhibition
Puppies explore with their mouths. Teach gentle mouthing by yelping and withdrawing attention when bites are too hard. Redirect to appropriate chew toys. A dog that learns bite inhibition as a puppy is safer for life.
Building Confidence
Let your puppy succeed. Create small challenges they can overcome — novel surfaces, gentle obstacle courses, short car rides. Reward bravery without forcing interactions. Confident puppies become resilient adult dogs.