Puppy Tips
The pitter-patter of tiny paws in your home is so exciting. But what don’t you know about caring for a new puppy? Spot's experts are here to help.
How Touch Can Accidentally Reinforce Unhealthy Puppy Habits
As a dog trainer, one of the most common and well-intentioned mistakes I see owners make is accidentally teaching the very behaviors they're trying to prevent. There’s a common saying, “You pet what you get.” and today we’re going to break that concept...
Puppy Tips
How Much Do Puppies Sleep?
Puppies sleep 18–20 hours a day. According to the American Kennel Club¹, that high sleep demand exists because sleep supports the development of the central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles — all of which are growing rapidly in early...
Puppy Tips
How to Train a Puppy
Training a puppy is most effective when started early and built around positive reinforcement. The core skills — potty training, basic commands, and bite prevention — can all be introduced from around 8 weeks. According to the American Kennel Club¹,...
Puppy Tips
Puppy Fear Periods: Why Your Pup's Suddenly Scared (and How to Help)
Puppies go through two primary fear periods — one around 8–11 weeks and another between 6–14 months — when their developing brains become temporarily more sensitive to unfamiliar or unexpected stimuli. These phases are a normal part of development, not...
Puppy Tips
Bite Inhibition in Dogs: What It Is and How to Teach It
Bite inhibition is a dog’s learned ability to control the pressure of its jaws so that if its teeth make contact with a person or another animal, the resulting force causes minimal or no injury. It is one of the most important skills a dog can develop,...
Puppy Tips
Resource Guarding in Dogs: Signs, Causes, and How to Stop It
Quick Glance What it is Behavior where a dog signals or acts aggressively to prevent access to food, toys, spaces, or people.1 Normal vs. problematic Mild guarding is a normal canine behavior; it becomes problematic when it escalates to growling,...
Puppy Tips
Puppy Sleep Schedule: How Much Sleep Do Puppies Need?
Quick Glance How much they sleep 16–20 hours per day — puppies need significantly more sleep than adult dogs. Nap frequency Every 1–2 hours of activity; very young puppies may nap every 30–60 minutes. Nighttime sleep Puppies can sleep 6–10 hours at...
Puppy Tips
How to Stop Puppy Biting and Nipping: A Step-by-Step Training Guide
Quick Glance Why puppies bite Normal developmental behavior — exploring the world, teething, and learning bite inhibition. What works Redirection, yelp-and-disengage, timeouts, consistent boundaries. What doesn't work Physical punishment — it increases...
Puppy Tips
Best puppy treats
When you adopt a dog, you’re adding another member to your family. As with any family member, you want to spoil and love them as much as you possibly can. One of the best ways to do this is through treats. There are so many different kinds of dog...
Puppy Tips
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