Ideal Puppy Timeline

Following the timeline below will maximize your likelihood of raising a confident,

well-trained and enjoyable lifelong canine companion.

Steps to take:

6 weeks old:

  • First puppy vaccine

6-9 weeks old:

  • Best age to leave mom and littermates is 8 weeks of age.

  • Begin house training

  • Begin and complete collar and leash training

  • Begin and complete crate training

  • Begin basic obedience and good manner training

  • Take for daily very short car rides

  • Handle the puppy’s paws, nails and ears daily

9 weeks old:

  • Second puppy vaccines

9-12 weeks old:

  • Finish house training

  • Begin daily leash walks (off property).

  • Avoid dog parks, ditches, pet stores.

  • Continue basic obedience and manner training

  • Continue daily short car rides

  • Continue to handle ears daily.

  • Start nail trims: 1 paw per day, repeat every 2-3 weeks

  • OK to visit and play with other fully vaccinated dogs

12 weeks old:

  • 3rd puppy vaccines

  • If your puppy is anxious at this age, wearing an Adaptil collar can help decrease anxiety and increase trainability

12-15 weeks old:

  • House training should be complete

  • Start puppy classes

  • Continue daily leash walks and car rides.

  • Take puppy to places with traffic, children, noise, ‘chaos’.

  • Continue getting puppy accustomed to ear handling and nail trims

15 weeks old:

  • 4th puppy vaccines

  • 15-18 weeks old Graduate from puppy class to obedience class

  • Continue daily leash walks. Continue to visit new places

  • Puppy weight at 16 weeks is approximately one-half of adult weight

18 weeks old:

  • Final puppy vaccines

  • It is now safe to take puppy to all locations

By 18 weeks of age, the ‘window’ for a puppy to easily incorporate new people, places and experiences

into his/her life is closing. Any anxiety or fears still present will need to be managed lifelong.