Congratulations! You just brought home the next superstar of the canine world, and of course you’re eager to get started on the journey to not only having a terrific pet, but a hunting dog extraordinaire! New puppies bring so much joy and expectation for the future—and rightfully so. They’re little bundles of happiness and potential, and something would be amiss if they didn’t make you excited.

Shortly after my college graduation, I brought home one of those little bundles of potential and I distinctly remember many of the obstacles she presented that I had not previously considered. When should I feed her? How to potty train? What about the crate? Why won’t she walk on a leash? The list goes on and on. Maybe you’re in the same boat right now. The good news is, puppies are typically very resilient, and even if you don’t do everything “perfectly” right from the start, your pup is likely going to be just fine. However, I’m hopeful this article will help you make those first three weeks of puppy ownership as stress free and productive as possible. Remember, you got a puppy to make your life more fulfilled, not to add stress and frustration.

I suspect your new pup is of the hunting variety, and as they get older, they’ll get more specific training to their end sport (flushing, pointing, or retrieving). However, I’d argue that the first few weeks of ownership for a gun dog should look very similar for any pup, regardless of the breed and purpose. With that said, here are some suggestions as you get started with your new pup.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Remember, this is not to curb the puppy’s enthusiasm—it’s YOUR enthusiasm. You’ll have plenty of time to train your new pup later, but if you hit those first few weeks of puppy ownership full-steam there’s a great chance your puppy is going to be overwhelmed by your enthusiasm—potentially with long-term consequences.

What does too much enthusiasm look like? An over-enthusiastic owner might be tempted to throw too many retrieves, take the pup to too many places, go on too long of walks, or ask for too complex of behaviors. For the first few weeks, I’d much rather keep it low-key, letting the pup adjust to its new surroundings and grow comfortable with me. After we’ve gotten to know each other, there will be plenty of time for training, environmental exposure, etc.

The consequences of too much too soon can affect a pup for the rest of its life. Exposing a pup to too many stimuli while it’s adjusting to a new home life could create an adult dog that never finds its confidence. Your pup will be much better off if you let it adjust to you before expecting it to figure out additional environments. And of course, throwing a bunch of training at an insecure pup can cause an aversion to training for the rest of the pup’s life.

Form Realistic Expectations for Your Puppy

I’ll never forget the first few days I had with the pup I brought home after my college graduation. I had high expectations for her and started training immediately. From the way I treated her, it’s clear I assumed her capacity to learn and work,were on par with an adult dog. I remember calling the breeder a few days after I brought her home, asking what I should do when I put a leash on her and all she wanted to do was chew on it, and play tug with me! My expectations were colliding with reality, and of course, reality was winning.

The reality is that a young puppy only has so much capacity to learn. Their attention spans are short, they haven’t learned how to offer behaviors in exchange for rewards, and they don’t always retain lessons very well. By pushing my pup with training too quickly, I created a dog that was apathetic toward training. Your pup will be much better off in the long-run if your expectations match reality; you won’t get frustrated, and you and the pup will both be better off for it.

Start Teaching Your Puppy Basic Behaviors

I addressed expectations and curbing enthusiasm first in this article because I think those are the most important things to remember when you bring your new pup home. It’s much better to go too slowly than it is to go too quickly with a pup. You can always catch up your training later on, but if you start out too fast, sometimes the damage is lasting. That being said, there are plenty of behaviors you can get started teaching right away with your new pup.

Crate Training - Every pup should learn to hang out in their crate quietly and stress free. Feeding them in their crate, taking naps in the crate, and spending the night in a crate right from the start will pay dividends later when they’re an adult and happily jumping into their crate to go for a ride or while being left unattended. I start crate training the very first day a pup comes home.

Potty training - Teaching your pup where it’s appropriate to relieve themselves starts right when you bring them home. There is plenty of literature out there on potty training your pup if you’re not sure where to start (*hint - frequent trips outside and monitoring their water consumption are key!), but you should help your pup form good potty habits right from the start.

Place Training - I like to start place training on Cato Boards immediately with my pups. I start out by giving them small treats every time they climb on one; very quickly they’ll learn to jump on the Cato Board to trigger me into giving them a treat. This is a great starting point for teaching them more complex behaviors later in life. I love to see a young pup enthusiastically jumping onto their platform for a treat, as it indicates they’re learning to work for a reward!

Relationship building - The more time you can spend with your pup earlier on, the better off your pup will be in the long run. Show them you’re fun to be with, gain their trust, and later they’ll be much more inclined to learn from you and work with you. You can build a strong relationship by going for walks, feeding treats from your hand, and just by sitting on the floor and letting them climb on you. There’s nothing hard about it, but the relationship you build with your pup at the start will last a lifetime.

Take a Deep Breath and Enjoy the Process!

Puppy ownership is just the start of a marathon, remember the end goal(s) and don’t wear yourself or your puppy out right out of the blocks. Here’s a good thought to keep it in perspective: if you teach your pup one new skill per week, that’s 52 skills in the first year. That’s a LOT of skills, considerably more than the average dog ever learns; yet teaching one skill per week doesn’t seem like much. On that note, enjoy the process, take it slow, remember the big picture, and you’ll have a lifetime companion you can be proud of. Good luck!