Houston Dog Training
Puppy Fundamentals in Houston
Bringing a puppy home is overwhelming — biting, potty accidents, sleepless nights, and a thousand questions about what counts as spoiling versus what counts as structure. Puppy Fundamentals is the program that gets you and your puppy on the same page from week one.
Who is this program for?
- Puppies 8 weeks to 6 months old
- First-time dog owners who want to do it right
- Owners with a second dog who want to avoid repeating old mistakes
- Families with kids who need the puppy integrated calmly
What is included?
- Potty and crate training plan built for your schedule
- Bite inhibition and mouthing solutions
- Socialization checklist with safe exposure in Houston
- Loose-leash walking foundation
- Sit, down, name recognition, and recall basics
- Guidance on sleep, chewing, feeding, and resource management
Why is early puppy training so important?
The socialization window closes around 16 weeks. What a puppy experiences — and does not experience — before that cutoff shapes who they will be as an adult.
A puppy who meets other dogs calmly, hears traffic without panic, and learns to be alone for short stretches becomes a confident adult. Miss the window and you are managing behavior for the next 12 years instead of just the first few months.
What does a typical puppy session look like?
We meet you where your puppy actually lives — at home, in your neighborhood, or in a controlled public setting as skills build. Sessions are hands-on and tailored. We coach the owner as much as we coach the puppy, because the dog goes home with you, not us.
Expect short, high-frequency reps during the session and a clear homework plan between sessions. Puppies learn in minutes-long chunks, not hour-long drills.
Frequently asked questions
- As soon as they come home — usually 8 weeks. We adjust the intensity to match a puppy brain, but every day you wait is a day of habits forming on their own.
- For in-home work, no completed vaccine series is required. For public outings we follow your vet's guidance on safe exposure — most puppies can start neighborhood walks before the full series is finished.
- Foundation skills come fast — most puppies have sit, name recognition, and a baseline recall within two to three weeks of consistent work. Full reliability takes longer and is covered in Basic Obedience as a next step.
- Yes. Puppy biting is normal and age-appropriate. We teach bite inhibition — the lifelong skill of controlling pressure — and give you the tools to redirect mouthing without punishment that teaches your puppy to fear hands.
How young can my puppy start training?
What vaccinations does my puppy need before training?
How long does puppy training take?
Will my puppy learn to not bite?
Ready to start?
Book an assessment and we'll build a plan for your dog.