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Puppy Training: The 3 Things That Matter Most in the First Few Months
Season 1
Episode 39
Published 10 hours ago
Description
Bringing home a puppy is exciting. It’s also messy, exhausting, occasionally ridiculous and one of the most important stages in shaping the dog you’ll live with for years to come.But good puppy training isn’t about how many commands your puppy can perform.In this episode of the
Paws & Profits Podcast, professional dog trainer Karen Laws breaks down the three things that matter most in the first few months of puppy training: connection, structure, and confidence.
You’ll learn why engagement should come before obedience, how everyday routines create good—or unwanted—habits, and why proper puppy socialization doesn’t mean letting your puppy greet every dog and person they see.
Karen also explains why training time is all the time. Your puppy is learning when you open the door, prepare dinner, welcome guests, go for a walk, or react to the stolen sock disappearing down the hallway.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why connection is the foundation of a puppy that listens
• How structure and management prevent unwanted habits
• Why too much freedom too soon can create problems
• What healthy puppy socialization actually looks like
• How to build confidence without creating an overexcited puppy
• Why everyday life matters as much as formal training sessions
• How these same principles of connection, structure, and confidence apply to professional dog trainers and their businesses
Your puppy doesn’t need to know twenty commands by twelve weeks old. They need a solid foundation for becoming a dog who can successfully live in your world.
And for the professional dog trainers listening: if your hands-on training skills have outgrown your business systems, pricing, positioning, or confidence, Karen explains why it may be time for the business side of your work to catch up.
Hosted by Karen Laws, certified professional dog trainer, founder of Ontario Dog Trainer and the Dog Trainer TRIBE Training Academy, with more than 40 years of hands-on dog training experience.
Paws & Profits Podcast, professional dog trainer Karen Laws breaks down the three things that matter most in the first few months of puppy training: connection, structure, and confidence.
You’ll learn why engagement should come before obedience, how everyday routines create good—or unwanted—habits, and why proper puppy socialization doesn’t mean letting your puppy greet every dog and person they see.
Karen also explains why training time is all the time. Your puppy is learning when you open the door, prepare dinner, welcome guests, go for a walk, or react to the stolen sock disappearing down the hallway.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why connection is the foundation of a puppy that listens
• How structure and management prevent unwanted habits
• Why too much freedom too soon can create problems
• What healthy puppy socialization actually looks like
• How to build confidence without creating an overexcited puppy
• Why everyday life matters as much as formal training sessions
• How these same principles of connection, structure, and confidence apply to professional dog trainers and their businesses
Your puppy doesn’t need to know twenty commands by twelve weeks old. They need a solid foundation for becoming a dog who can successfully live in your world.
And for the professional dog trainers listening: if your hands-on training skills have outgrown your business systems, pricing, positioning, or confidence, Karen explains why it may be time for the business side of your work to catch up.
Hosted by Karen Laws, certified professional dog trainer, founder of Ontario Dog Trainer and the Dog Trainer TRIBE Training Academy, with more than 40 years of hands-on dog training experience.