How to Train Small Dogs at Home — A Beginner’s 4-Week PlanTraining a small dog at home can be rewarding, efficient, and fun. Small breeds often have big personalities, and because they live so close to us — in laps, on couches, and underfoot — consistent training makes daily life calmer and safer. This 4-week plan covers foundational obedience, house training, leash manners, basic tricks, and socialization using positive reinforcement. It assumes sessions of 5–15 minutes, 2–4 times daily, adjusted for your dog’s age, energy, and attention span.
Before You Start: Preparation and Mindset
- Health check: Ensure your dog has had a vet check and is up to date on vaccinations before exposing them to other dogs or public places.
- Equipment: small, comfortable flat collar or harness (no choke or prong collars), lightweight leash (4–6 ft), clicker (optional), and high-value treats cut into pea-sized pieces.
- Treats & reward hierarchy: Use more motivating treats for new or hard tasks (cheese, cooked chicken), and lower-value kibble for easy repetitions.
- Patience & consistency: Small dogs respond best to short, frequent sessions and calm, confident leadership. Avoid punishment — it creates fear and shuts down learning.
- Record keeping: Keep a simple training log (dates, goals, progress) to track consistency.
Training Principles (Short Reference)
- Positive reinforcement: Reward desired behaviors immediately (within 1 second) to mark the action.
- Clicker or marker word: Use a click or a word like “Yes!” to mark the exact moment your dog performs the behavior, then treat.
- Timing & repetition: Multiple short sessions beat one long session.
- End on a win: Finish each session with a behavior your dog knows well and reward it — leaves them eager for the next session.
- Generalization: Practice in different rooms and gradually add mild distractions so commands work outside the training context too.
Week 1 — Foundations & House Training
Goals: Build trust, name/attention, sit, crate introduction, and start housebreaking.
Daily routine:
- 3–4 short sessions (5–10 minutes) focusing on attention, name recognition, and one new cue per session.
Key skills:
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Name & Attention
- Say your dog’s name once; when they look, click/mark and treat.
- Repeat until they look reliably from short distances and mild distractions.
- Practice calling name from another room.
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Sit (on leash or in-hand)
- Lure with a treat above the dog’s nose so their rear naturally lowers.
- Mark and treat as soon as rear touches floor.
- Add the cue word “Sit” after they start offering the behavior; fade lure within a few days.
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Crate Introduction
- Make crate inviting: treats, soft bed, toys. Feed meals near/inside crate.
- Start with short periods with door open, then closed for 1–5 minutes while you stay nearby.
- Never use crate for punishment.
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House Training (puppy or small adult)
- Establish a schedule: frequent outdoor trips (after waking, after play, after eating, before bedtime), plus every 1–2 hours for young puppies.
- Use a consistent cue (“Go potty”) and reward immediately after successful elimination outdoors.
- Supervise indoors; use confinement (crate or gated space) when you can’t watch.
- Clean accidents with an enzymatic cleaner and avoid scolding after the fact.
Session example (10 minutes):
- 2 min name & attention
- 4 min sit practice (multiple short reps)
- 4 min crate acclimation or calm settling practice
Week 2 — Loose-Leash Walking, Recall, and Manners
Goals: Loose-leash walking in low-distraction areas, reliable recall at short distances, and no-jumping manners.
Daily routine:
- 2–3 short sessions (8–12 minutes) plus practice during daily walks.
Key skills:
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Loose-Leash Walking (heel basics)
- Start indoors or in a quiet yard. Reward when the dog walks with slack in the leash beside you.
- Use the “stop-and-go” method: when the dog pulls, stop; wait for slack, mark and reward, then continue.
- Reward frequent early to build the habit. Use high-value treats when distractions appear.
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Recall (Come)
- Start 1–3 ft away: say the cue “Come” or “Here,” step back, then mark and reward when they approach.
- Practice with increasing distance and small distractions. Keep recalls upbeat and reward heavily.
- Never punish when your dog comes — this destroys trust in the cue.
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No Jumping
- Turn away when your dog jumps; ignore until all four paws on floor, then reward.
- Teach an alternate behavior (sit for greeting) and reward that.
Session example (10 minutes):
- 3 min recall games (short sprint + reward)
- 4 min loose-leash practice (indoors/yard)
- 3 min greeting/no-jump practice
Week 3 — Leave It, Down, and Socialization
Goals: Teach “Leave it”/impulse control, reliable “Down” on cue, and controlled socialization with people and dogs.
Daily routine:
- 2–3 short focused sessions and supervised real-world practice.
Key skills:
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Leave It / Drop It
- Leave It: Place treat in closed palm; when dog stops trying to get it and looks away or at you, mark and reward with a better treat from the other hand.
- Gradually progress to treats on floor, then to higher-value items. Teach “Leave it” as a safety cue for dangerous objects.
- Drop It: Trade object for a treat; say “Drop it,” then reward for letting go.
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Down
- Lure from sit: lower treat to floor between paws, then along the floor away so dog follows into down. Mark and reward.
- Use “Down” cue and practice short holds. Be patient — some small breeds resist full extension; reward incremental progress.
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Socialization
- Expose to different surfaces, sounds, people types (hats, sunglasses), and controlled dog meetings.
- Keep experiences positive and short. If puppy under 16 weeks, avoid high-risk dog parks; use vaccinated-playdates.
- Reward calm behavior and create distance from scary stimuli if stressed.
Session example (12 minutes):
- 4 min Leave It / Drop It exercises
- 4 min Down training with gradual duration increases
- 4 min supervised socialization (new surface, friendly person visit)
Week 4 — Proofing, Tricks, and Real-World Readiness
Goals: Generalize commands in varied settings, add simple tricks (shake, spin), and ensure daily routines reinforced.
Daily routine:
- 2 sessions (10–15 minutes) plus practice during walks and household routines.
Key skills:
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Proofing Commands
- Practice commands in different rooms, at different times, with increasing distractions (TV, guests).
- Add distance and duration to sits and downs. Reward for reliability.
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Solidify Recall & Loose-Leash
- Practice recalls from greater distances and with distractions (park bench, other people at a distance).
- Walk past mild distractions without pulling; reward for ignoring them.
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Tricks & Enrichment
- Teach a fun trick like “Shake,” “Spin,” or “Target” to build focus and strengthen the bond.
- Use puzzle feeders and short training games to keep mental stimulation high.
Session example (15 minutes):
- 5 min proofed recall/loose-leash practice in a busier setting
- 5 min trick training (short, fun)
- 5 min calm settling and crate reinforcement
Troubleshooting Common Small-Dog Issues
- Barking: Identify triggers (fear, boredom, attention). Teach “Quiet” by rewarding silence for a few seconds, then slowly increase duration. Avoid yelling — that’s attention.
- Small-dog syndrome (over-dependence/behavioral pushback): Establish consistent rules, ignore attention-seeking misbehavior, and reward calm, independent behaviors.
- Fearfulness: Use counterconditioning — pair low-level scary stimuli with high-value treats and increase intensity slowly. Never force interactions.
- Stubbornness: Break tasks into tiny steps, reward successive approximations, and keep sessions short and upbeat.
Sample Daily Schedule (Puppy vs. Adult Small Dog)
- Puppy (8–16 weeks): 6–8 potty breaks/day; 3–4 short training sessions; frequent supervised play; naps.
- Adult small dog: 3–4 potty breaks/day; 2–3 training sessions; 20–30 minutes of daily walk/exercise plus mental games.
When to Get Professional Help
- Aggression toward people or dogs, severe anxiety, or persistent house-soiling after consistent training. A certified professional dog trainer (CPDT) or a veterinary behaviorist can assess and provide a behavior plan.
Final Notes
Consistency, short sessions, and high-value rewards are the keys. Small dogs learn quickly when training is clear, positive, and part of daily life. Track progress, celebrate small wins, and adjust the plan to your dog’s pace.
Good luck — you’ve got this.
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