Your Puppy's First 30 Days: A Week-by-Week Training Plan
Updated: 2 days ago
Bringing a puppy home is a big change for everyone, and if anyone tells you the first few weeks are all unicorns and rainbows, they've forgotten. You don't need to teach everything at once though. A simple plan for the first month, with a little practice each day, sets up good habits and keeps life easier, and it means you're not doom scrolling at 11pm for answers. Here's what I'd focus on, week by week.
THE SHORT ANSWER
In the first 30 days, focus on helping your puppy feel safe, building a routine and teaching a few life skills. Week 1 is settling in, sleep and toilet routines. Week 2 adds name games, recall in the house and short crate or pen naps. Week 3 adds settling on a mat, gentle handling and swapping toys for hands. Week 4 builds on everything with tiny absences and, once your vet says it's safe, short trips to quiet places. Keep sessions to a minute or two and expect a few wobbles along the way.
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Days 1 to 7: settling in
Your main job this week is helping your puppy feel safe. Training is gentle and built into daily life.
A quiet sleeping area or crate, close to you at night
Regular meal times
Toilet trips after every nap, meal and play
Baby gates and pens to keep your puppy safe
Plenty of chews for teething
Days 8 to 14: first lessons
Name game: say their name once, reward when they look
Recall across the kitchen, rewarding every time
Short crate or pen naps with a chew
Swap any stolen item for a treat, so your puppy learns to bring things to you
Days 15 to 21: life skills
Settling on a mat while you eat or watch TV
Gentle handling of paws, ears and mouth, with treats
Offering a toy whenever your puppy goes for hands or clothes
Sit before the food bowl goes down
Days 22 to 30: building on it
Stepping out of sight for a few seconds, then a minute, coming back calmly
Practising the same skills in different rooms and the garden
Once your vet says it's safe, short visits to quiet places with a mat and treats
Before then, carry your puppy to see the world from your arms
Normal setbacks
Toilet accidents, a bad night, a sudden biting phase or a day when your puppy seems to forget everything are all normal in the first month. Look at sleep first, as an overtired puppy struggles with everything. Then make things easier and build back up. Read 6 puppy training mistakes and how to fix them.
How long should training sessions be?
One or two minutes, a few times a day. Stop while your puppy still wants more. Our one-minute puppy games fit perfectly into the first month.
RENEE'S TIP
Keep a simple diary for the first month: toilet times, naps and one win each day. It helps you spot patterns, and on hard days it reminds you how far you've come.
QUICK CHECK
ā Week 1: safety, sleep and toilet routine
ā Week 2: name, recall and crate naps
ā Week 3: settling, handling and toys for teeth
ā Week 4: tiny absences and new places once your vet says so
ā One or two minutes at a time
FROM RENEE'S BOOKSHELF
The Modern Guide to Puppy Games
The one-minute puppy games in full: 100 of them, sorted by the problem you want to fix.
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FAQs
What should I teach my puppy in the first week?
Mainly toilet routines, where to sleep and their name. The first week is about helping your puppy feel safe.
What can a puppy learn in 2 weeks?
Their name, coming to you across the room, short crate naps and bringing things to you for a treat.
What are the puppy training basics for the first month?
Toilet training, name, recall in the house, settling on a mat, gentle handling and swapping toys for hands.
How much training does a puppy need each day?
A few one- or two-minute sessions spread through the day, plus lots of learning in everyday moments.
Is it normal for puppy training to go backwards?
Yes. Setbacks are normal, especially when puppies are tired or teething. Make things easier and build back up.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Renee Patience Ā· National Dog Trainer of the Year 2025
Founder and head trainer of Paws Academy, with more than 30 years training dogs and a Level 6 Diploma in Applied Canine Behaviour. Renee has competed in agility, obedience and heelwork to music across the UK, including at Crufts and Olympia, has appeared on CBBC, and is the author of the Modern Training Guides and the Modern Breed Handbook series. Pictured with her boxer, Kookie.
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