Top Six Puppy Training Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Getting a puppy is a mix of joy, exhaustion and an endless stream of questions. Everyone you know has a tip or a story, and a quick search online will flood you with conflicting advice. The truth is, most people make some training mistakes in the early days. That’s normal. The important part is recognising where things are going wrong and knowing how to adjust before it becomes a bigger issue.

In this post, we’ll walk through six of the most common puppy training mistakes we see time and again, and more importantly, how to correct them. There’s no need to feel guilty if any of these sound familiar. Puppies are brilliant learners, and with a few changes, they can bounce back from a rough start.

1. Starting Too Late

Many people wait until their puppy is fully vaccinated before starting any training, especially outside the home. It makes sense on the surface. You want to protect them from illness. But during this waiting period, critical learning windows are closing.

Puppies are constantly forming opinions about the world from as young as three weeks old. By 12 weeks, they’re already deciding what’s safe, what’s scary and what’s worth ignoring.

This doesn't mean throwing your pup into a busy park at nine weeks. It does mean thoughtful early exposure and handling. Start with short visits to safe places, car trips, and gentle introductions to new people, textures and household sounds. Training should begin as soon as your puppy arrives home, with simple foundations like their name, following a treat, gentle handling, and toileting routines. Waiting too long can mean your puppy enters adolescence without a framework in place, and that’s a much tougher place to start from.

What to do instead:Get started on day one. Keep early training short and low-pressure. Use food rewards, praise and play to mark the behaviours you want. If you’re unsure what’s safe before vaccinations are complete, your local vet or a reputable trainer can offer guidance tailored to your area.

2. Relying Too Much on Commands

It’s tempting to rush to teach ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and ‘lie down’ as proof that your puppy is learning. These are useful cues, but they are the icing, not the cake. Obedience-style commands are less important than teaching your dog how to live in your world. Think about what you actually need: settling on a mat while you cook, walking calmly on lead, not jumping on guests or rushing through the door.

If a puppy knows 20 words but barks through the night, chews the skirting boards and panics when left alone, the real-life training isn’t happening.

What to do instead:Focus on daily life skills first. Reward calm behaviour without asking for it. Mark good choices with food, praise or release. Think of training as a 24-hour conversation, not something that happens for ten minutes in the sitting room.

3. Inconsistent Expectations

If you let your puppy jump up for cuddles in the morning but tell them off for doing it when visitors arrive, it’s no wonder they look confused. Dogs don’t understand context the way we do. Consistency is how they figure out what gets rewarded and what doesn’t. Mixed messages can lead to frustration or attention-seeking behaviours like barking, mouthing or stealing items.

It’s also common for different family members to have different rules. One person lets the puppy on the sofa, another doesn’t. One uses treats, another shouts. This makes learning slow and stressful for your dog.

What to do instead:Decide on your boundaries and stick to them. If it’s ‘no jumping’, then it’s never allowed, even if they’re small and cute. Get everyone in the household on board. Use the same words, the same reward system, and the same routines. Dogs thrive on repetition and clarity.

4. Overusing Treats Without Structure

Treats are brilliant. They help puppies learn fast. But many people fall into the trap of using food constantly, without teaching the puppy what earns the treat or when it’s coming. This leads to a pup that only responds when they can see the food or stops working altogether once the treats run out.

Another mistake is bribing rather than rewarding. Waving food around to get a behaviour is not the same as marking a choice your dog has made.

What to do instead:Keep treats in a pouch or pocket, not your hand. Ask for a behaviour (or wait for it), then reward. Use a consistent marker word or clicker so your puppy knows exactly what they’re being rewarded for. Gradually fade treats once behaviours are solid, swapping in praise, toys or access to what they want.

5. Reacting to Unwanted Behaviour Instead of Reinforcing the Good

It’s natural to want to step in the moment your puppy does something you do not like. Jumping up, barking, mouthing or stealing things often trigger an immediate reaction from us. But in many cases, even a mild response like eye contact or a raised voice can unintentionally reinforce the behaviour. For puppies, attention is attention, whether it is praise or frustration.

On the other hand, correcting every mistake can lead to a tense environment. Repeated “no” or disapproval may stop the behaviour in the short term, but it often leaves the puppy unsure of what you do want. This can cause more problems later, including increased frustration, demand behaviours or even withdrawal.

What to do instead:Ignore what you do not want. Reward what you do. If your puppy is lying quietly, walking calmly, or checking in with you on their own, that is the moment to offer praise, food, or play. You do not need to constantly instruct your dog to get good behaviour. By reinforcing the right choices when they happen naturally, you help those behaviours grow stronger.

This approach builds a pup who is thoughtful rather than reactive, and one who learns that calm behaviour is the most rewarding. It also reduces conflict between you and your dog, because you are not spending the day telling them off. You are showing them what works, in a way they can understand and repeat.

6. Ignoring Emotional State

Too often, we focus on whether the puppy did the behaviour and ignore how they felt doing it. A pup who sits but is frozen in fear is not learning confidence. A pup who walks to heel but glances around anxiously is not relaxed.

Training that ignores a dog’s emotional state can lead to obedience at the expense of wellbeing. This often shows up later in adolescence as avoidance, barking, shutdowns or reactivity.

What to do instead:Watch your puppy’s body language closely. Are they loose and curious? Are their ears up, tail wagging low, mouth soft? Or are they tense, panting, refusing food, or avoiding eye contact?

Work within their comfort zone. If your puppy is overwhelmed, back up and simplify. Confidence grows when puppies feel safe, not when they’re pushed to endure things they’re not ready for. Every dog is different, so avoid comparisons with what other puppies are doing at the same age.

Final Thoughts

Puppy training isn’t about perfection. It’s about guiding a young animal through a brand-new world, one step at a time. Mistakes are part of the process, but they don’t have to define it. Most issues we see in older dogs could have been softened or prevented by simple changes in those first few months.

So whether you’ve just brought your puppy home or you’re realising a few things have gone off track, it’s not too late. Dogs are incredibly adaptable. With consistency, structure and a clear understanding of what you’re asking, they’ll surprise you with how quickly they adjust.

If this post helped clarify some next steps for your training, that’s a win. And if you’d like support from trainers who understand the real-life side of raising dogs, feel free to reach out. You don’t need to go it alone.

💬 Want Personal Help with Your Dog?

Book a 15-minute virtual consultation via Microsoft Teams for just €15.

In this one-on-one session, we’ll talk through your dog’s behaviour and see if ongoing support is the right fit.  💡 If you decide to book a full session or package, your €15 fee is fully refunded.   It’s a no-pressure way to get expert advice and take the first step toward a calmer, happier dog.

Curious about what Paws Academy has to offer? Have a look at our online training hub and see what might work for you and your dog.