When dog training in Michigan, where I live, the best time of year would have to be either late spring, summer, or early fall – definitely not in the winter if you can help it. One reason would be that if you are potty training in the winter, your puppy may be less likely to want to go outside, as when their little bellies touch that cold snow, they usually come running back inside. Another reason would be that we are less likely to want to bundle up and go outside with our puppy at the crack of dawn when it is the coldest part of the day.
Over the years, I have had many days of puppy training with the following dogs during different times of the year:
- Chocolate Labrador named Josi, who was trained during the spring
- Collie/Coyote mixed breed named Roxy, who was trained in the winter
- Cockapoo/Shiatzu mixed breed named Luke, who was trained in the late fall
- Australian Shepherd/Terrier mixed breed named Clio, and she was trained in the late spring
- Labrador/Pitbull mixed breed named Phoebe, who was trained in the summer
- German Shepherd named Otis, and he was trained in the late summer
- Labrador/Pitbull/ German Shepherd mixed breed named Lucy, who was trained in the summer
*Note: All content within this article is meant for informational purposes only and is in no way a replacement for professional advice or support. Seek immediate and appropriate care from a professional when necessary.
Is it better to get a puppy in winter or summer?
As you can see, my puppies were all born at different times of the year, which determined when we got them, as well as when we were able to train them. Ideally, if it were possible, I would have brought them into our family during the optimum time of year, which in Michigan, it is not winter – instead, late spring, summertime, or early fall would have been best.
Roxy was a Christmas gift from a family member, so we had no choice in when to train her. Luke was born in October from a litter my cousin’s dogs had, so again, we had no choice but to train him in the late fall, early winter. Thankfully, my ex-husband was an early riser, so he was the one to take Luke out for the first potty of the day.
Josi, Phoebe, Otis, and Lucy were all born in the spring and summer months, so we lucked out in being able to train them in the late spring–summertime.
While I have had a lot of experience with training dogs, I am not an official expert, so let’s hear what the professionals have to say.
According to experts at The Spruce Pets, “Bringing home a new puppy requires oodles of planning and know-how, but timing is part of the equation as well. When is the best time of year to bring home a puppy?
The easy answer is whenever it’s the best time for you, whenever you and your family have enough time to focus on socializing and training the puppy, according to Richard Walther, DVM and veterinary advisor at Pawlicy Advisor.
Access to the great outdoors is a massive part of dog ownership, especially in your pup’s first weeks, so you’ll want the nicer weather summer and late spring usually provide.
Potty training means frequent trips outside, so you’ll want nicer weather as you teach your dog to go to the bathroom. Yards and parks are also excellent locations for your dog to meet new people, dogs, or objects.
A reminder from Walther: A puppy’s socialization window lasts only the first 16 weeks of his life, so you’ll want to get in as many new experiences as you can—especially when your kids are home from school,”.
What is the hardest month with a puppy?
We do not always have the pleasure or convenience of bringing a puppy into our home and family, but we do have control over when to start training them. That’s an easy answer…immediately! As soon as you get a dog, start the training before you even open the door of your home.
If you are like my family, we usually have two dogs at a time. The necessary advice from my dog trainer, who has been invaluable when introducing the new puppy to the already established alpha dog, was to follow these steps:
- One person put the alpha on a leash and walked them to a neutral space away from the home and yard
- The other person is to put the puppy on a leash and walk them to that neutral space
- Each human is to greet each other as if nothing were different
- Let the alpha sniff the puppy while also being mindful of the puppy’s well-being and safety
- Correct the alpha gently if they get agitated or act out
- If they have properly greeted one another in a friendly manner, start walking
- Walk home together
- Enter the yard together
- Take them off their leashes at the same time
- Monitor their first play times
- Give the alpha the same love and attention as the puppy
- Reinforce kind behavior from the older dog to the puppy and vice versa
This piece of advice from our trainer was especially essential when we brought home Otis to Phoebe, who were both bully and dominant breeds. It worked like a charm! Phoebe thought she had found Otis, and he was her “pet”.
She was great with him. In fact, they ended up mating and giving us a litter of puppies, which Lucy was a product of. It was easy for Phoebe to accept Lucy as she was the mama, and Lucy accepted, without question, her mother’s dominance.
The Humane Society states the hardest month to train a puppy is, “Stage 5: Adolescence (6 – 18 months)
This can be the most difficult time during a puppy’s development – adolescence. Your cute little puppy is becoming a teenager and will start producing hormones which may result in changes in behaviour. Dogs go through adolescence much earlier than people; for small breeds, is can be as early as months old while larger dogs starting at nine or 10 months of age. Adolescence in larger breed dogs continues until they are two or three years old with smaller dogs reaching maturity at about 18 months. Typically the larger the dog, the slower the development,”.
Best puppy training time of year
In conclusion, while training can happen anytime, late spring through early fall offers the best weather and conditions for a smoother, more enjoyable puppy training experience for both human and K9.