Training Guides
Free, science-backed puppy training advice from the professional trainers at Boston Dogtor.
Underlying Cause vs Symptom
Why Your Puppy's Biting Isn't Aggression
Your eight-week-old puppy just clamped down on your hand and drew blood. Your first thought: "Is my puppy aggressive?" Your second thought: "Did I get a bad dog...
Redirection Warning
Stop Redirecting Puppy Biting With Toys — Here's Why It Backfires
Every puppy training article on the internet says the same thing: "When your puppy bites you, redirect them to a toy." It sounds logical. It feels humane. And i...
Short Bursts
The Reverse Time-Out: The Bite Method That Actually Works
The standard time-out for puppy biting goes like this: puppy bites, you pick up the puppy, you put the puppy in its crate or behind a baby gate, you wait a few ...
Too Much Freedom Too Soon
Why Your Puppy Still Has Accidents: Too Much Freedom Too Soon
If your puppy is still having accidents in the house, the cause is almost certainly the same thing that causes every other puppy to have accidents in the house....
Pack vs Daycare
Why Daycare Isn't Socializing Your Puppy
The word "socialization" has been so badly misused in the pet industry that it has lost all meaning. Most owners think socialization means "my puppy plays with ...
Game Theory
Every Puppy Game Has a Consequence
Most owners choose puppy games based on what the puppy seems to enjoy or what keeps it busy. Tug-of-war because the puppy likes pulling. Fetch because the puppy...
Structure First
Crate Training: The First Night Protocol
Your puppy's first night in your home is the most important night of its life with you. Not because of bonding. Not because of love. Because of structure. What ...
Underlying Cause vs Symptom
Separation Anxiety Prevention Starts Day One
Separation anxiety is one of the most common and most devastating behavioral problems in pet dogs. Dogs that destroy crates, chew through drywall, injure themse...
Short bursts
Why 15-Minute Training Sessions Beat Hour-Long Ones
You blocked off an hour this Saturday for a big training session. You watched the YouTube videos, loaded your treat pouch, and headed to the backyard ready to n...
Cause vs Symptom
Your Puppy Pulls Because You Skipped This Step
Your puppy pulls on the leash. You bought a front-clip harness. You tried stopping every time the leash goes tight. You watched a video about doing a U-turn whe...
Nature vs Nurture
Nature vs Nurture: Why Breed Matters More Than You Think
When a client calls me about a puppy behavior problem, the first thing I want to know isn't what the puppy is doing. It's what the puppy is. Breed, breeding, an...
Cause vs Symptom
Early Signs of Resource Guarding (And How to Prevent It)
Your puppy growled when you reached for its bone. Your first instinct was probably to correct it. Maybe you said "no" sharply. Maybe you took the bone away to "...
Critical windows
The Reactivity Window Closes at 16 Weeks
There is a biological window in your puppy's brain development that closes around 16 weeks of age. After that point, the neural pathways responsible for how you...
Exercise bell curve
The Overtired Puppy Paradox: More Exercise Makes Biting Worse
Your puppy is biting. Hard. Constantly. Your hands look like you lost a fight with a rosebush. You post about it online and the chorus responds: "Exercise them ...
Structure + routine
How Much Sleep Does Your Puppy Need? Age-by-Age Guide
When I ask new puppy owners how much they think their puppy should sleep, the most common answer is somewhere around 12 to 14 hours. The actual number is 18 to ...
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