Episode 324: The First Two Weeks With Your Puppy: What You Grow Is What You Get

The first two weeks with your puppy are when what you grow is what you get. In these early days, everyday choices shape how your puppy learns, rests, and stays engaged long before cues are added. In this episode, I share a real-life puppy story to show how well-intended decisions can accidentally grow behaviors you weren’t aiming to teach, and why raising a puppy with the future in mind supports clarity, confidence, and the relationship you’re building as your puppy develops.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How small, everyday choices can accidentally grow puppy behaviors you don’t want to see.
A real-life puppy story that highlights common early choices.
Two critical lessons for new puppy owners.
Why management is proactive, not restrictive.
What early crate, sleep, and management choices are really teaching.
Why positive training is not permissive training.
What good leadership looks like with a puppy.
How off-leash freedom too soon can lead to disengagement.
Why a puppy’s name should be protected and meaningful.
Why naming behaviors too early can create confusion.
Why behaviors should be conditioned before cues are added.
How cues lose clarity when used as praise.
What it means to raise a puppy using a long-term lens.
How Recallers games support focus, engagement, and early learning.