01/02/2026
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Benjamin Franklin
I’d like to take a moment to brag on one of my clients. She has done such an amazing job with her puppy, Powder, and is the perfect example of why you should start dog training at an early age. She started training with me when Powder was barely 11 weeks old. Over the past few weeks, she has not only practiced training exercises consistently but has also gone to great lengths to prepare her for what she will experience later in life, all done with positive reinforcement. She’s great at vet visits and grooming appointments, travels in the car easily, she loves her crate, is able to settle and entertain herself when no one is paying attention to her, and has had positive interactions with new human and canine friends. She is turning out to be one impressive little dog who is enjoyable to be around, and she’s barely 5 months old!
Most people think that you need to wait until your dog is much older to start training, when in reality, this does more harm than good. The more a dog rehearses certain behaviors, the better they get at them, therefore making it harder to “undo” them as time goes on. In addition, most people think they need to keep their puppy in a vacuum and not take them out until they are fully vaccinated or reach a certain age. While it is crucial to protect a puppy from diseases he might get, it’s also important to note the risk associated with not safely exposing him to things he will frequently see and experience as an adult. So many of the fears and phobias I see can be attributed to lack of exposure as a puppy. It’s scary to them bc they’ve never seen it. I am not a veterinarian, and I cannot give medical advice, but I would highly encourage you to read this article by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior that discusses in depth the importance of early socialization and puppy vaccination schedules.
https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
All of this to say, the right time to start training a dog is when they are a young puppy! Learn from Powder and her mom. The results speak for themselves! Way to go, Tam and Powder! 😊🐶🥰
If you’d like to start your training journey with your new puppy or need help with some “undoing” of learned behaviors for your older dog, please contact us today to get started. It’s never too early…or late! ❤️
www.justjoydogtraining.com
469-887-6190
