Waking up to take your new puppy to potty through the night is a normal part of the early puppyhood stage.

As they grow and get bigger they’ll be able to hold it longer and longer, if you’ve been consistent at working on their potty training.

But what if you finally made it to the point where they can last through the night but all of a sudden they’re waking up because they NEED to poop? 💩

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 168  Timestamps:

*1:19 - Can you stop your puppy from needing to poop in the middle of the night?
5:30 - How to get your 8-month-old Lab to wear a harness
10:42 - How to address an older puppy’s nipping and barking when leash pressure and crate aren’t working 
16:21 - How can you make an older pup's crate more comfortable without them destroying a pad 
18:00 - How to help a 4-month-old puppy overcome their fear of people and dogs
21:19 - Why would a puppy suddenly start hating his crate after a month of using it?
22:41 - Our thoughts on covered crates for naps!
23:43 - At what age can a Yorkie puppy hold their potty while you’re at work?
26:17 - How to help a 4-month-old puppy settle in their crate when you’re home

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

Hard dry kibble can be tough to chew for small young puppies, not to mention not all that appetizing to them. We often encourage pup parents to soak the kibble before feeding times to make it easier to break down, and bring out that smell so it becomes more enticing to eat! 

If you’ve been listening to us for a while, then you know we also always PREACH about using your puppy’s food for training sessions! So do you make it wet or keep it dry? If your puppy isn’t on a kibble diet, what do you use instead?

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 167  Timestamps:

*3:09 - Should you hand feed your puppy dry or wet kibble for training?
6:28 - Is it normal for a 5-month-old Cavapoo to stop eating 3 times a day?
8:56 - How to get a 1-year-old pup to eat breakfast when she only takes a bite?
9:59 - Tips to stop a 6-month-old Cavapoo from darting at hands and faces during tug play
17:45 - Tips for a new 8-week-old Yorkie-Maltese puppy 
18:28 - How to get your dog to go to the bathroom outside instead of inside
21:51 - How to stop nipping with 2 6-month-old Lab puppies
27:43 - Tips for making an 8-week-old puppy comfortable in crate training on day one
29:36 - Help with a 10-month-old Yorkie not wanting to nap in his crate in the morning anymore

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

Welcome back for Episode 2 of our special new segment: Ask A VET Show!

This is a way for us to provide you with more puppy health advice to help you in raising a happy, healthy puppy – direct from the incredible veterinarians who spend their days making sure your puppy is off to the best start possible.

In this episode, Dr. Jill Child, DVM from Plaza Del Amo Animal Hospital in Torrance, CA joins us to discuss one of our favorite topics: Preventative Dental Care for Puppies!

At what age should a new puppy parent be brushing their puppy’s teeth and how often?

What signs should puppy parents look for to detect possible dental problems?

Are specific breeds more prone to dental issues than others?

Do diet and chew toys impact a puppy's teeth?

We answer all these and more in this episode of the Ask A Vet Show!

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

**Apologies for the sound quality, we had mic issues during the recording of this episode.😔

There’s so many options when it comes to training your puppy: weekly group classes, private training, day training, online training, board and trains or bootcamps — so how do you choose what’s best for your puppy AND you?

We are known for our puppy Day School program (which also includes private 1-on-1 owner lessons) and our Online School (check www.thepuppyacademy.com for info on both!) but Bethany (who is also the owner of a highly sought after board and train program outside of The Puppy Academy) weighs in on her opinion about board and train programs and whether you should consider sending your puppy to one.

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 166  Timestamps:

1:03 - Why would a 10-month-old crate-trained Yorkie suddenly be scared of the crate during the day but fine at night?
3:33 - Example of a daytime crate schedule for a 3-month-old male Staffy
*5:27 - Do we recommend send-away camps for puppy training? 
9:32 - Why would a puppy cry, bark, and escape the crate when closing the door, particularly at night?
12:01 - How to help a 14-week-old black lab who hates collars and harnesses
15:36 - How to handle an 8-week-old Rottie who isn’t food-driven, has no attention span, and is becoming aggressive
20:00 - How to stop an 11-month-old mixed breed from eating sticks and digging holes

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

Zoomies are those sudden outbursts of energy puppies that can have them running circles around your home, jumping on furniture, and overall looking like they’re acting a little cray-cray. 🤪

Is it ok to let your puppy run around in those manic state to burn off their energy? Are zoomies good or bad? And is there anything you should be concerned about when they happen?

Sparky tackles the zoomies in Episode 165 of the Ask A Puppy Trainer Show and what you should do when your puppy has them!

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 165  Timestamps:

3:02 - How to prevent puppy zoomies after eating
*5:22 - Are zoomies a bad thing?
7:55 - Is it too late to train a puppy at 8-months-old?
10:53 - How to potty train an 8-week old lab living in a college dorm
12:50 - What should a normal crate schedule look like for a 10 and 12-week-old puppy? 
16:23 - Should you keep your same schedule with a new pup?
17:69 - How to handle a 4.5-month-old Cavapoo who’s experiencing crate regression, and extra biting
22:42 - How to help a puppy settle in the crate if they scream the entire time, even for 80 minutes?
24:10 - What to do when a 6-month-old Wheaten Terrier barks at other dogs during walks?
28:05 - When will we be doing another free potty training power hour class?
29:10 - How to teach a puppy to relax on his bed outside of crate
30:47 - Help with stopping a 10-week-old Aussiedoodle from chewing your 2 and 4-year-old children

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

The playpen and the crate are two tools we love using for young puppies.

But when it comes to potty training, is one better than the other? Can you use either to potty train? If you have a playpen but not a crate, should you get a crate?

In Episode 164 of the Ask A Puppy Trainer Show, Sparky goes over the difference between each tool, what we recommend using for potty training, and how to potty train using both!

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 164  Timestamps:

*1:37 - Crate vs playpen for potty training - what’s better?
3:41 - What to do when you puppy potties inside after being outside
7:27 - What to do with an 11-week-old male Staffy that keeps barking and jumping 
11:39 - Tips for teaching "No" to a deaf and blind puppy
13:48 - Tips for leash training a 4-month-old Cockapoo who chews the leash and throws himself on the floor
17:56 - How to get your puppy to be good in the crate for longer hours while you’re gone 
22:49 - How to increase your puppy’s crate time when they’re used to sleeping out of the crate 
27:36 - How much out of the crate time should a 13 week-old-old puppy get?
29:56 - How often should you give water to a 13-week-old puppy 

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

If you’ve been following us for a while (or if you’re new, we’ll tell you now!) we are HUGE fans of STRUCTURE for puppies! Two main components of this structure are: following a schedule and using a crate!

We’re not going to dive into all the benefits a schedule and utilizing a crate can have for puppies here, but we’re bringing these up because this is actually also the fastest way to get your puppy to the point where they CAN free roam without worry! (As long as their environment is safe, of course.)

So when can you start to transition your puppy to free roam when you leave the house? We know many eager puppy parents want this answer so Bethany and Sparky share their guidance in Ep 163 of the Ask A Puppy Trainer Show! 

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 163  Timestamps:

1:26 - What to do when your puppy starts having accidents again after getting spayed
*5:23 - When to transition a puppy to free roaming in the home
8:54 - Why would an older pup suddenly start peeing and pooping indoors? 
11:27 - How to stop a 10-week-old male Staffy from jumping, barking, and nipping
17:04 - How to stop a puppy from crying in the crate or playpen
22:35 - How to stop a 5-month-old Great Pyrenees/Staffy mix from barking at everything
25:03 - How long should a puppy nap and stay in the crate during the day?

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

We are so excited to welcome you to a special segment we are starting: Ask A VET Show!

This is a way for us to provide you with more puppy health advice to help you in raising a happy, healthy puppy – and who better to get it from than the incredible veterinarians who spend their days making sure your puppy is off to the best start possible.

Today we have Dr. Liz Hix from PAW Veterinary Center in Redondo Beach, CA joining us! And we’re going to kick off this new series with the topic of: Your Puppy’s First Vet Visit!

How soon after getting their puppy should new puppy parents schedule their first vet visit?

What does the first vet visit entail?

What is a wellness exam, and what does it include?

How should a puppy parent bring their puppy into the vet? (ie. Should they be in a carrier? Should they avoid the waiting room floor?

We go over all this and more on the first episode of the Ask A Vet Show!

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

If you were to ask us what command is our FAVORITE of all time, it has got to be: PLACE command!

“Place” is basically teaching your puppy how to be “calm on command” using a designated area (we prefer pet cots, but you can also use dog beds, a towel, etc.) that has a clear boundary where your puppy (and you) can visibly see if they’re on or off of it. 

There are sooo many fabulous benefits to teaching and utilizing “Place” command and you will start seeing a mega difference in your puppy’s behavior when you begin incorporating it in your day-to-day life!

But one of the challenges many pup parents face when teaching Place command is getting their puppy to stay on it for longer amounts of time, and while being further away from them. So we’re sharing some of our secrets here to help you!

In this week’s Ask A Puppy Trainer Show Episode 162, Bethany and Sparky go over their top tips to get your puppy conquering Place command asap! And we think it will quickly become your most favorite command too. 😌

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 162  Timestamps:

*2:21 - Tips to get your puppy to Stay longer on Place command
6:25 - Can you train your puppy not to destroy their toys? 
8:43 - How to stop a 3-month-old Airedale from biting skin constantly
12:04 - What to focus on during the first few weeks with a new 8-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?
14:29 - Tips for helping a 4-month-old Shiba Inu who’s stubborn on walks when food doesn’t help 
16:56 - Advice for stopping a 5-month-old Westie from barking nonstop in the playpen
19:45 - How soon should you start teaching "Drop it" with a 7-week-old Goldendoodle?
22:51 - Should you stick to your potty schedule even if your puppy whines and ends up having an accident at night?
24:32 - Is it common for an 8-week-old puppies to go potty in the house just minutes after going outside?

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶

Have you ever gotten into super cuddle-mode with your puppy and thought what a great idea it’d be to snuggle with them on your bed….until they PEED on it?!

Yes, it happens to the best of us: the vision was SO much better than the reality. 😂 Let us tell you (for those of you who have not experienced this) cleaning pee accidents on the bed is a misssserable task. And one that will have you rethinking your decision of putting your pup there in the first place while you spot clean, disinfect, wash and remake your duvet cover, comforter, sheets, mattress cover, mattress….have we painted this painful picture well enough for you?

So what are you supposed to do? NEVER have your puppy on the bed again? Are your dreams of the ultimate puppy bed-snuggles over forever?! Not if we can help! In Ep 161 of the Ask A Puppy Trainer Show, Bethany and Sparky reunite to share their tips on how to get your puppy to stop peeing on the bed and save your snuggle sessions!

Check out the timestamps to find what other puppyhood help you’d like answers on and join us every Wednesday at 1pm PT on Instagram or TikTok to ask your questions live! 

Full episodes can be viewed on our YouTube channel every Monday. To get notified when it’s ready, sign up for our VIP (Very Important Puppy) list and we’ll email it to you directly!

Ep 161  Timestamps:

1:35 - How to stop accidents in the playpen after your puppy has gone potty
*5:14 - How to prevent a 4-month-old female Aussiedoodle from peeing on beds
8:39 - How to help a 7-month-old Mini Goldendoodle with separation anxiety
10:51 - How much active play and training time should an 8-week-old puppy have daily?
12:11 - Tips for training a 6-month-old Mini Bernedoodle to listen and respond outdoors
15:18 - How to get a 1-year-old English Shepherd to relax outside of the crate when you pet them
18:43 - How to get a 13-week-old Mini Dachshund to go back to the crate after early morning potty breaks
20:09 - The best way to respond to an active 11-week-old chocolate Lab barking and biting for attention at night
26:41 - How to stop a 5.5-month-old pup from barking, howling, and scratching in their crate during the day

For more help with puppyhood, visit www.thepuppyacademy.com 🐶