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

It’s been a great day. Your puppy has been an angel.

And then out of nowhere, your puppy flips a switch. 

The biting gets more intense. They stop responding to anything you say. They’re lunging, they’re frantic, and for a second, you actually wonder if something is wrong with them. Or with you.

This is puppy witching hour. And it is so much more common than you think.

It usually hits in the evening, right when you’re tired, and your patience is running low.

And if your puppy had a full, active day, that might actually be exactly why it’s happening.

This is not a sign that your puppy is aggressive, out of control, or that you’re doing something wrong. This is a normal developmental phase, and once you understand what’s driving it, you’ll know exactly what to do and what to skip.

In this episode, I talk about:

What puppy witching hour actually looks like and why it’s so disorienting

Why overstimulation and exhaustion trigger this kind of frantic behavior

The toddler tantrum connection and what it tells us about puppy emotional development

Why this is NOT the moment to discipline, redirect, or try and teach your puppy anything

What your puppy actually needs in these moments (hint: it’s not more exercise)

How the habits you’re building outside of these episodes will make them less frequent over time

Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it.

Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #046: Puppy Biting and Why You Might Still be Struggling

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #078: Games to Play With a Nipping Puppy

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #060: Kids and Puppies

YOUR Perfect Puppy: 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.

You’ve prepared for your puppy.

You did the research.You bought the supplies.You read the books and checked all the boxes.

So why does it still feel overwhelming when your puppy finally comes home?

You did everything right, but you forgot one key part of puppy preparation: you.

Good preparation doesn’t eliminate the chaos of bringing a puppy home. It prepares you to handle it when it shows up.

In this episode, I talk about:

Why feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you did something wrong

How preparation helps you recover faster when things go sideways

Why “mistakes” are not only normal, they’re part of the process

The connection between preparation and the puppy blues

What realistic expectations actually look like in the early weeks

If you’re preparing for a puppy, this episode will help you go in with clearer expectations.If you already have a puppy and are thinking, “I wish I heard this sooner,” also check out Episode #104: The Puppy Blues.

Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it.

Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:

Free Video Series: The Three Phases to Bringing Your New Puppy Home

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #104: The Puppy Blues

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #084: My Favorite DIY Puzzle Feeders

YOUR Perfect Puppy: 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.

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.

In this episode, I talk about:

Why dinner time is such a challenging moment for dogs

Why attention (even negative attention) keeps the behavior going

How to give your dog something better to do before begging starts

When and how to remove access to the table altogether

How to build a predictable dinner routine

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.

Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #018: Ditch the Bowl and Make Mealtime an Event

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #025: Is Human Food Good for Dogs?

Your New Puppy’s Podcast: YNP #084: My Favorite DIY Puzzle Feeders

YOUR Perfect Puppy: 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.

Potty training was going so well… until it suddenly wasn’t.  

Let’s discuss why potty training regression is completely normal, what it actually means, and how to get back on track without feeling like you’ve failed your puppy.

You have a stretch of good days, you start to feel confident, and then all of a sudden, the accidents are back. It feels like you’re back at square one, you start asking what you did wrong, and you might even wonder what’s wrong with your puppy.

Here is the truth.Regression is normal. It doesn’t mean you failed. It doesn’t mean your puppy forgot everything. It means you are in the middle of the process.

If this episode really resonates, I also recommend Episode 79: “Are You Still Struggling With Potty Training?” where I walk through the three key points I always cover with clients who are stuck.

In this episode, I talk about:

What potty training actually looks like (progress in NOT a straight line)

The most common reason for potty training regression.

Why regression seems to happen right at the end.

How a small change in routine can have a big impact on your progress.

The difference between a random accident and true regression.

Enjoying this podcast?  Please rate and review it wherever you listen.  This helps other puppy parents find it.

Other resources mentioned and related to this episode:

Complete Guide to Potty Training Your Puppy: A free download that walks you through my complete process

YNP #065: 

YOUR New Puppy:  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!

Additional Potty Training Episodes:

YNP #009: Why Indoor Pads Should Not Be Used When House Training Your Puppy

YNP #010: Complete Guide to Potty Training Your Puppy

YNP #039: Common Potty Accidents

YNP #041: Raising a Puppy in an Apartment

YNP #056: Potty Training for a Working Household

YNP #072: Should You Use a Potty Bell?

YNP #079: Are You Still Struggling With Potty Training?

YNP #085: How to Handle Potty Training Overnight

YNP #090: When Your Dog Hates the Rain

YNP #092: Why Not to Punish Puppy Potty Accidents