Your New Puppy: Dog Training and Dog Behavior Lessons to Help You Turn Your New Puppy into a Well-Behaved Dog

JAN 14, 2026

Dinner should be a chance to relax, not a nightly negotiation with your dog. In this episode of Your New Puppies Podcast, I’m breaking down one of the most common struggles I see with puppies and adult dogs: dogs begging, barking, or demanding attention while their humans are trying to eat. It does make sense that this happens. Besides the obvious food, everyone is gathered together, and there tends to be a lot of movement and chaos. Your dog just wants in. The good news is you don’t need to teach new cues, run training drills, or micromanage every meal to fix this. This is a perfect example of how we can train without training by using consistency, structure, and a predictable routine. <h3>In this episode, I talk about:</h3> <ul> <li>Why dinner time is such a challenging moment for dogs</li> <li>Why attention (even negative attention) keeps the behavior going</li> <li>How to give your dog something better to do before begging starts</li> <li>When and how to remove access to the table altogether</li> <li>How to build a predictable dinner routine</li> </ul> These are things you can start doing today. It may not be perfect immediately, but with consistency, most families see improvement within a week. Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it. <h3>Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:</h3> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode18/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YNP #018: Ditch the Bowl and Make Mealtime an Event</a> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode25/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;">YNP #025: Is Human Food Good for Dogs?</a> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode84/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;">YNP #084: My Favorite DIY Puzzle Feeders</a> <a href="http://www.playtimepaws.com/puppy" style="outline: none;">YOUR Perfect Puppy</a>: If you’re looking for ongoing guidance with situations like this, this episode is also a great example of the kind of real-life problem-solving we do inside YOUR Perfect Puppy, where I help you turn everyday chaos into manageable routines that work for your household.

10 MIN

DEC 31, 2025

YNP #106: Three Ways to Upgrade Your Walk

8 MIN

DEC 10, 2025

YNP #105: Potty Training Regression

11 MIN

SEP 30, 2025

YNP #104: The Puppy Blues are Real!

Bringing a puppy home is a joyful time… except sometimes reality hits a bit harder. Welcome to the Puppy Blues. It’s common to underestimate the effect this big life change will have on our emotional well-being.   I’m doing this wrong?Why is this so hard?I feel like a failure.There’s something wrong with this dog.It’s not supposed to be this way. These are all normal things to think and feel when you bring your puppy home.  Feelings of anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, or even guilt are something that nearly every new puppy parent experiences. Yet we don’t seem to talk about it. In this episode, let’s discuss what the puppy blues are, why they happen, and most importantly, how to navigate them without feeling like you’re failing your puppy or yourself. You’ll learn why these feelings are normal, temporary, and something you can plan for, along with practical tips for finding your new rhythm with your puppy. Whether you’re preparing for a puppy or already in the thick of it, this episode will give you reassurance, strategies, and a roadmap to survive (and enjoy!) these early weeks. <h3>In this episode, I talk about:</h3> <ul> <li>What the puppy blues are.</li> <li>Why just about every new puppy parent experiences them.</li> <li data-end="1147" data-start="1083">Practical ways to minimize the overwhelm.</li> <li data-end="1147" data-start="1083">How to find your new rhythm with your puppy.</li> <li data-end="1147" data-start="1083">Where to find extra guidance.</li> </ul> Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it. <h3>Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:</h3> <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240628125158.htm" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Science Daily: A dog’s puppyhood can cause ‘puppy blues’ reminiscent of baby blues</a> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode5/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YNP #005: Crate Training: How and Why to Make Their Crate Your Dog’s Best Friend</a> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode28/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YNP #028: 5 Reasons to Use the Crate When You’re Home</a> Your New Puppy’s Podcast: <a href="https://www.playtimepaws.com/episode61/" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YNP #061: A Typical Puppy Schedule</a> <a href="http://www.playtimepaws.com/puppy" style="outline: none;">YOUR New Puppy</a>:  My signature new puppy course that has helped hundreds of new puppy parents raise their puppies into well-mannered, happy dogs.  Includes live support from me so you don’t have to do this alone! <h2 id="t-1731154015082">What’s Next?</h2> Feeling a little unsure about what to do with your new puppy? You’re not alone!  You’re just a human trying to raise a dog. That’s exactly why I created <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/your-perfect-puppy-plus-academy" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YOUR Perfect Puppy</a> — my digital program that gives you a clear plan to follow and direct support from me every step of the way. From potty training and basic cues to building trust and confidence, we’ll cover everything you need to raise your well-mannered dog with less stress and more joy. And because puppyhood doesn’t stop after four weeks, you’ll also get ongoing access to Playtime Paws Academy — my membership community with weekly live calls, a private forum, and an entire library of enrichment activities to help you navigate real-life challenges as they come up. <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/your-perfect-puppy-plus-academy" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to check out YOUR Perfect Puppy</a>.  I’d love to support you through this journey.

11 MIN

JUN 10, 2025

YNP #103: Your Puppy’s First Night Home

Wondering what to do on your puppy’s first night home? You’re bringing your new puppy home, you’re excited, you’ve got everything ready, and you already have great plans on how your new puppy will fit right into your family.  But wait, do I know what to do that first night?   Maybe you’re coming home late and don’t have much time to make them feel safe and comfortable before bedtime.   You’re probably wondering:Where should my puppy sleep that first night?Do I put them in the crate even if I haven’t introduced it yet?Is it okay not to use the crate? No worries, in this episode, I walk you through exactly what to do that very first night. Note: If you’ve watched my three part series: The <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/3-phases-sign-up" style="outline: none;">3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home</a>, this episode fits into Phase 02: Settle In. Whether you’ve been preparing for weeks or just thought of it now (we’ve all been there!), you’ll leave this episode knowing exactly what to do, and what you don’t need to worry about (yet!). <h3>In this episode I talk about:</h3> <ul> <li>What to expect for your puppy’s first night home.</li> <li>Where crate training and potty training fits in.</li> <li data-end="1147" data-start="1083">Where your puppy should sleep that first night.</li> <li data-end="1242" data-start="1203">What you can do to make them more comfortable without overwhelming them.</li> <li data-end="1385" data-start="1318">What else you should be prepared for.</li> </ul> Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it. <h3>Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:</h3> <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/3-phases-sign-up" style="outline: none;">The 3 Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home</a>: Getting a new puppy is exciting but overwhelming.  This free three part video series will help you know how to Prepare, how long to let your puppy Settle In, and when it’s time to Get to Work. <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/opt-in" style="outline: none;">Complete Guide to Potty Training Your Puppy</a>: Know exactly what to do when to help potty training feel easier with quicker results. It includes a tracker to help you find patterns and prevent accidents.  <a href="http://www.playtimepaws.com/puppy" style="outline: none;">YOUR New Puppy</a>:  My signature new puppy course that has helped hundreds of new puppy parents raise their puppies into well-mannered, happy dogs.  Includes live support from me so you don’t have to do this alone! <h2 id="t-1731154015082">What’s Next?</h2> Feeling a little unsure about what to do with your new puppy? You’re not alone!  You’re just a human trying to raise a dog. That’s exactly why I created <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/your-perfect-puppy-plus-academy" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">YOUR Perfect Puppy</a> — my digital program that gives you a clear plan to follow and direct support from me every step of the way. From potty training and basic cues to building trust and confidence, we’ll cover everything you need to raise your well-mannered dog with less stress and more joy. And because puppyhood doesn’t stop after four weeks, you’ll also get ongoing access to Playtime Paws Academy — my membership community with weekly live calls, a private forum, and an entire library of enrichment activities to help you navigate real-life challenges as they come up. <a href="https://playtimepaws.mykajabi.com/your-perfect-puppy-plus-academy" target="_blank" style="outline: none;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to check out YOUR Perfect Puppy</a>.  I’d love to support you through this journey.

8 MIN

Your New Puppy: Dog Training and Dog Behavior Lessons to Help You Turn Your New Puppy into a Well-Behaved Dog

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