Most new puppy owners make the same mistake — they try to teach too many things at once and the dog gets confused.

Here's what actually works. Focus on just 3 commands in your first week:

1. Sit — Hold a treat above their nose, move it back over their head. The second their butt touches the ground, say "sit" and reward. 10 reps, 3x a day.

2. Come — Start in a small room. Say their name + "come" in a happy voice. Reward every single time they walk toward you. Never use "come" to punish them.

3. Leave it — Put a treat in your closed fist. When they stop sniffing and pull away, say "leave it" and give them a DIFFERENT treat from your other hand.

That's it. Master these 3 before moving on to anything else. Consistency beats complexity every time.

I built BarkBetter to walk you through this exact process — step by step, command by command. $10/mo, or use code LAUNCH for 30% off your first 2 months.

Most new puppy owners make the same mistake — they try to teach too many things at once and the dog gets confused.

Here's what actually works. Focus on just 3 commands in your first week:

1. Sit — Hold a treat above their nose, move it back over their head. The second their butt touches the ground, say "sit" and reward. 10 reps, 3x a day.

2. Come — Start in a small room. Say their name + "come" in a happy voice. Reward every single time they walk toward you. Never use "come" to punish them.

3. Leave it — Put a treat in your closed fist. When they stop sniffing and pull away, say "leave it" and give them a DIFFERENT treat from your other hand.

That's it. Master these 3 before moving on to anything else. Consistency beats complexity every time.

I built BarkBetter to walk you through this exact process — step by step, command by command. $10/mo, or use code LAUNCH for 30% off your first 2 months.