Puppy Training Schedule by Week: What to Teach and When

Updated November 15, 2026 · 5 min read

The first few months with a puppy go by fast, and they matter. Between roughly 3 and 14 weeks of age, puppies go through a sensitive socialization period when they learn what is normal and safe in the world. What they experience in this window can shape their confidence for life. At the same time, you are tackling potty training, chewing, nipping and sleepless nights.

A week-by-week plan helps you focus on the right things at the right time. Treat the ages below as a guide, not a deadline. Every puppy develops at their own pace, and if you adopted an older puppy, simply start at the beginning and move faster.

Before you start: a few ground rules

Keep sessions short: two to five minutes, several times a day.
Use rewards, not punishment. Puppies learn fastest when training is fun.
Let your puppy sleep. Young puppies typically need around 16 to 20 hours of sleep a day. Overtired puppies bite and struggle to learn.
Talk to your vet about vaccinations and which places are safe to visit before your puppy is fully protected.

Week 8: Settling in

Your puppy has just left their mother and littermates. Focus on helping them feel safe and building routines.

Potty training: start a consistent schedule from day one. Take your puppy out after sleeping, eating, drinking and playing, and every one to two hours. See our potty training guide.
Crate or pen: introduce it gently with meals and treats inside.
Name game: say your puppy's name and reward when they look at you.
Marker word: charge "Yes!" by pairing it with treats.
Gentle handling: touch paws, ears and mouth briefly, then give a treat.

Weeks 9 to 10: Foundations

Sit and down with food lures. Start fading the lure once your puppy gets the idea.
Come indoors, using an excited voice and rewarding with a jackpot of treats.
Bite inhibition: redirect nipping to toys; pause play briefly if teeth hit skin hard.
Collar or harness and leash: get your puppy used to wearing them indoors.
Socialization begins in earnest: new sounds (vacuum, doorbell, TV), surfaces (grass, tile, carpet), and calm, friendly people of different ages and appearances. Keep every experience short and positive, and let your puppy approach at their own pace.

Weeks 11 to 12: Building confidence

Socialization outings: carry your puppy to watch traffic, visit a friend's house, or sit outside a store and watch the world go by, if your vet agrees. A well-run puppy class that requires vaccination records is a great option.
Loose-leash basics: reward your puppy for being next to your leg, indoors first. See our leash training guide.
Trade and "drop it": swap toys for treats so your puppy learns giving things up pays off.
Alone time: practice short, happy periods alone in a crate or pen with a stuffed chew, so being alone becomes normal.

Weeks 13 to 14: Adding duration and distraction

Stay: start with one to two seconds, then build slowly.
Settle on a mat: reward calm lying down on a mat or bed.
Polite greetings: reward four paws on the floor and sit-to-greet.
Practice known cues in new places: backyard, front porch, a friend's house.
Handling for grooming: brushing, nail trims (one nail at a time with treats), and looking in ears and mouth.

The sensitive socialization period closes around this age, but that does not mean socialization stops. Keep exposing your puppy to new, positive experiences throughout their first year.

Weeks 15 to 16: Real-world practice

Recall outdoors in a safe, enclosed area or on a long line.
Loose-leash walking on quiet streets.
Impulse control: wait at doors, wait for the food bowl, leave a dropped treat.
Teething begins for many puppies around now. Provide plenty of safe chews. Our guide on puppy chewing can help.

4 to 6 months: Consistency through teething and "teenage" moments

Your puppy now knows the basics, but they will be tested. Teething intensifies, energy rises, and attention can wander. Keep practicing in more distracting places, increase the length of walks gradually, and continue rewarding good behavior generously. Many owners stop training at this stage because things seem fine; this is when habits are cemented, so keep going.

6 to 12 months: Adolescence

Around six months, many dogs hit adolescence. Your puppy may suddenly "forget" their recall or start pulling again. This is normal, not a sign of failure. Go back to easier steps, use a long line for recall safety, and keep training sessions fun and short. Brain games and sniffing are especially valuable for keeping teenage dogs calm.

A sample daily routine for a young puppy

Morning: potty, breakfast from a puzzle feeder, potty, three-minute training session, play, nap.
Midday: potty, short socialization outing or play, training session, lunch, potty, nap.
Afternoon: potty, chew time in crate or pen, handling practice, play, nap.
Evening: potty, dinner, family time, calm wind-down with a chew, final potty, bed.

Notice how much of the day is sleeping and how little is formal training. That is normal and healthy. Short, frequent practice beats long sessions.

Socialization checklist ideas

People: men, women, children (supervised), people wearing hats, sunglasses, uniforms, people using wheelchairs or canes.
Sounds: vacuum, hair dryer, doorbell, thunder recordings at low volume, traffic.
Places: car rides, a friend's home, a quiet parking lot, a pet-friendly store.
Animals: calm, vaccinated adult dogs you know; cats at a safe distance.
Handling: collar grabs, paw touching, brushing, the vet's exam table.

Quality matters more than quantity. One calm, positive experience beats ten overwhelming ones. If your puppy seems scared, increase the distance and slow down.

What if you fall behind?

Life happens. Maybe your puppy was sick for a week, you were traveling, or work got busy. Do not panic and do not try to cram missed lessons into one long session. Simply pick up where you left off, keep sessions short, and prioritize the things that matter most at your puppy's age: gentle socialization while the sensitive period is open, potty training, and teaching your puppy that being handled and being alone are both okay. Formal cues like sit and stay can be taught at any age; positive early experiences are much harder to make up later.

Summary

Focus on safety, routines, potty and crate training in the first weeks, then add basic cues, gentle socialization and handling, then duration, distraction and real-world practice. Keep sessions short, let your puppy sleep, and stay consistent through teething and adolescence. The effort you put in now pays off for the next ten to fifteen years.