Puppy Loom

Best Puppy Training Treats (and How Not to Overfeed)

If you have ever tried to teach “sit” while your puppy is more interested in the dust bunny under the couch, you already understand the power of a truly good treat. The best puppy training treats are not the fanciest or most expensive. They are the ones your puppy will work for right now , in tiny...

Crate vs. Playpen for Puppies

There are two kinds of new puppy homes: the ones that are already puppy-proofed, and the ones that think they are. If you are deciding between a crate and a playpen, you are already ahead of the game. The right containment setup prevents accidents, protects your stuff, and gives your puppy a clear...

Switching Your Puppy’s Food Without an Upset Stomach

Puppies have brave hearts and delicate digestive systems. When you switch food suddenly, you can overwhelm the gut bacteria and digestive enzymes that were happily tuned to the old diet. The result is often loose stool, extra gas, belly gurgles, or a puppy who suddenly looks offended by dinner. Add...

When to Stop Crate Training

There is a special kind of hope that blooms the first night you think, “Maybe my puppy can sleep outside the crate now.” And there is also a very specific kind of heartbreak that follows if you wake up to a shredded throw pillow and a puddle you did not order. The good news is that most puppies can...

Crate Size and Setup for a Growing Puppy

A crate is not a puppy jail. It is a safe little den that helps your puppy sleep, settle, and learn one of the biggest life skills: holding it until you take them out. When the crate is set up well, it supports potty training and prevents the “I had to go so I went” habit from forming in a corner....

Potty Training Your Puppy in Rain and Winter Weather

If your puppy suddenly forgets everything they ever learned about potty training the moment it rains, welcome to the club. Cold wind, wet paws, scary puddles, dark mornings, and that weird crunch of snow can turn a previously reliable pup into a tiny drama student who “simply cannot” go outside....

Clean Puppy Potty Accidents So They Do Not Happen Again

If your puppy has decided that one corner of the rug is their personal restroom, you are not imagining things. Dogs experience the world through scent, and urine odor is like a bright neon sign that says, “Bathroom this way.” Even when you cannot smell anything anymore, your puppy often still can....

Puppy Peeing When Greeted

If your puppy pees the second someone says, “Hiiii!” you are not alone. I have fostered plenty of puppies who could hold it perfectly fine in their crate, then promptly create a tiny puddle the moment a human made eye contact. The good news is that this is often not a potty training failure. It is...

Transitioning Your Puppy From Pee Pads to Outside

If your puppy has been faithfully using pee pads, you have already taught an important skill: where to go. Now you are changing the location, not starting from scratch. And yes, there may be a few “I thought the rug was the pad” moments along the way. That is normal. You can make this transition...

5 Fun Crate Games for Puppies

If your puppy looks at their crate like it is a tiny doggy jail, you are not alone. A lot of pups need a little help understanding the crate is actually their safe, cozy “nothing bad happens here” spot. One of the quickest ways for many puppies to flip that opinion is to stop making the crate only...

How Long Can a Puppy Stay in a Crate?

If you’re a working pet parent, you’ve probably stared at a crate and thought, “Please let this be the right thing.” Good news: crate training can be a loving, practical tool. The not-so-fun news: puppies have tiny bladders, busy brains, and very strong opinions about being bored. Below is the...

Potty Training Regression in Puppies

You finally exhale. You have had zero accidents for weeks, the “go potty” cue works, and you start trusting your puppy on the rug again. Then one day you step in a puddle like it is week one again. Potty training regression is painfully common, and it is not a sign you have failed or your puppy is...

How to Bell Train Your Puppy

Bell training is one of my favorite “tiny upgrades” for potty training because it gives your puppy a clear, polite way to communicate. No scratching paint off the door. No silent stare-down followed by a surprise puddle. Just: ding , and you both know what happens next. The secret is simple: the...

Daily Puppy Potty Schedule by Age (8 to 16 Weeks)

Potty training at 8 to 16 weeks is basically you becoming a very loving, very alert bathroom dispatcher. The good news is that puppies thrive on predictable routines. If you give them frequent, boring potty trips (plus huge praise for success), most pups catch on faster than you think. This guide...

Clicker Training vs. Treat Luring for Puppies

When you are training a puppy, you have two jobs: help them understand what you want, and help them feel good about doing it. Clicker training and treat luring both use positive reinforcement, but they communicate with your puppy in slightly different ways. I have used both methods with foster pups...

Teach Your Puppy to Stop Jumping on Guests

If your puppy turns into a tiny trampoline the second someone steps through the door, you are not alone. Jumping is normal puppy enthusiasm and it works. People laugh, squeal, pet them, talk to them, or even push them away (still attention). Your puppy learns, “Oh wow, jumping makes humans do...

Destructive Chewing: Redirect Your Puppy to the Right Toys

If your puppy is treating your home like a chew buffet, take a breath. Chewing is how puppies explore, self-soothe, and survive teething. The goal is not to stop chewing. The goal is to teach your puppy what to chew , make that choice easy, and make the “bad” choices boring and unavailable. I've...

The First 5 Commands to Teach Your New Puppy

Bringing home a puppy is basically like adopting a tiny, fuzzy toddler with zoomies. They are adorable, enthusiastic, and deeply committed to putting mystery objects in their mouth. The good news is you do not need a complicated system to get started. You just need five foundational cues, a...

Prevent Puppy Separation Anxiety Before It Starts

Separation anxiety can look dramatic, but it usually starts in a very ordinary way: your puppy follows you everywhere, you leave once, they panic, and then they learn that being alone feels scary. The good news is you can prevent a lot of that spiral with a handful of small, boring routines. Boring...

Puppy Socialization Checklist (First 16 Weeks)

Socialization is not about your puppy “meeting everyone.” It is about teaching them, gently and repeatedly, that the world is safe, manageable, and kind. The magic is in many tiny, positive exposures , not one huge day out that ends with an overtired land shark melting down in the parking lot. This...