🐾 4 Essential Skills to Teach Your Puppy in Their First Few Weeks
By Natalie Kaye, NK9 Training, follow on Facebook and Instagram.
Natalie Kaye is a dog trainer and behaviourist. She is a Dog Parkour UK instructor and assessor, DMWYD Trick Dog instructor, DMWYD Canine Fitness Coach, Canine Hoopers World instructor and assessor and part of many networks such as the Dog Training Collage. Natalie has kindly shared her top tips for new puppy owners and the essential tricks to teach your puppy.
🐾 4 Essential Skills to Teach Your Puppy in Their First Few Weeks
Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but those first few weeks can also feel overwhelming! Focusing on a few simple, positive skills early on will help you build a great relationship and set your puppy up for success. Here are four key things to teach your puppy when they first come home:
1️⃣ The Name Game – Learning Their New Name
Your puppy’s name is their way of knowing that you’re talking to them! Start by saying their name in a happy voice, then rewarding them the moment they look at you. This builds a strong association:
➡ Name = good things happen!
🎯 Top tip: Keep it short and fun. Practice several times a day in quiet moments so your puppy learns to tune in to you, even with distractions later on.
2️⃣ Touch – A Fun Way to Start Recall (and Polite Greetings!)
Teaching your puppy to touch their nose to your hand is a simple game that’s useful for:
✅ Encouraging recall (they run to you to “touch!”)
✅ Helping with polite greetings (instead of jumping up)
✅ Building confidence through an easy, rewardable behaviour
Start by holding out your hand near their nose. When they sniff or touch it, reward and praise. Soon, you can add the word “Touch” and make it a fun, speedy game!
3️⃣ Sit – A Foundation Skill for Everything
Sit is a great first “cue” for puppies because it’s simple and easy to reward. Plus, it helps teach:
✔ Patience (waiting calmly)
✔ Good manners (before meals, doors, or attention)
✔ Focus on you in exciting situations
💡 Pro tip: Avoid pushing your puppy’s bottom down. Instead, lure them into position with a treat and reward as soon as their bum hits the ground!
4️⃣ Leave It – Essential for Puppy Mayhem!
Puppies explore the world with their mouths, which means they often grab things they shouldn’t! Teaching “Leave it” helps keep them safe and saves your shoes (and socks!) from becoming chew toys.
Start by offering a treat in your closed hand. When your puppy stops trying to get it and backs off, say “Yes!” and reward from your other hand. Gradually work up to practicing with objects on the floor or during walks.
🌟 Keep Training Short and Positive!
Puppies learn best in short, fun sessions (just 1–2 minutes at a time). Celebrate small wins and remember: it’s about building confidence and connection, not perfection.
For more tips and training advice, get in touch with Natalie, founder of NK9 Training - https://nk9.co.uk