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
