First-time puppy mom Lizzy asked a question that stopped Amy in her tracks: "When you say, 'What do you want your puppy to do?' What are my options?" In this episode, Amy explains why every "don't" needs a "do" instead — and walks through five real-life profiles (retired/home all day, working 9-to-5, families with young kids, apartment vs. house living, and future therapy dogs) with the exact behaviors she'd train first for each one. Your homework: choose one "do" for your dog this week and train them to do it!

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Play is more than a way to burn puppy energy — it can be one of your most effective training tools. In this episode of the Puppy Training Podcast, Amy explains how to use the games your puppy already loves to build focus, recall, impulse control, confidence, and connection.

You’ll learn how to add simple start-and-finish cues without taking away the fun, plus five practical games you can try right away: chase-me recall, tug-and-trade, “find it,” hide-and-seek, and fetch with two toys. Amy also shares how to match play to your puppy’s preferences, recognize when excitement is becoming too much, and end a session while your puppy is still successful. Choose one game, pair it with one useful skill, and discover how much learning can happen when training feels like play.

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Halloween is right around the corner! In this episode of the Puppy Training Podcast, Amy shares a complete Halloween game plan for puppy families — how to handle the relentless doorbell on trick-or-treat night, what to do about costumes (on people and on your pup), and how to keep your puppy safe around candy and decorations.

You'll learn why Halloween night is for management, not training; how to tell if your dog actually enjoys wearing a costume (most don't!); which candies are true emergencies, including the xylitol danger many families miss; and whether you should bring your puppy trick-or-treating at all. With a little planning, spooky season can be fun for the whole family — including the four-legged members. Happy Halloween!

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Have you ever watched a BAXTER & Bella training video and thought, “That looks so easy!”—only to try it with your puppy and wonder why your dog doesn't respond the same way?

You're not alone! In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what you're actually seeing when we train puppies on video. We explain the five things that make training look effortless: consistency, clear criteria, reinforcement history, emotional baggage, and handler timing.

You'll learn why your own history with your puppy matters, how trainers know exactly what behavior they're looking for, and how you can build the same skills and confidence in your own training.

The goal isn't to train like a professional. It's to understand what the professional is doing—and then practice those skills with your own puppy.

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Confidence doesn't simply happen—it can be intentionally built through small, successful experiences. In this episode, Amy shares a simple way to help your puppy learn that new, unfamiliar things are safe, manageable, and worth exploring.

We'll cover how to build confidence through novel objects, different surfaces, sounds, friendly strangers, obstacles, and recovery exercises. You'll learn how to break new experiences into manageable steps, recognize when you've moved too quickly, and help your puppy recover when something startles or worries them.

The goal isn't to create a puppy who is never afraid. It's to raise a dog who can experience something unfamiliar, pause, think, recover, and move forward confidently. Instead of hoping confidence develops on its own, learn to build it intentionally—one rung at a time.

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How do you keep your puppy learning when you don’t have treats in your pocket? In this episode of BAXTER & Bella’s The Puppy Training Podcast, Amy explains that reinforcement is about more than food and how everyday rewards can help your dog keep making good choices.

Learn how to use life rewards, toys, sniffing, freedom, and praise to reinforce behaviors your puppy already knows. We’ll talk about using access to the things your dog wants—like going outside, playing, exploring, or getting out of the crate—as meaningful rewards for calm behavior and good choices.

You’ll also learn why teaching and maintaining a behavior are different, how to gradually vary rewards without losing reliability, and what to do if your dog doesn’t respond when the treats aren’t there.

The goal isn’t to stop rewarding your dog. It’s to help your dog understand that good choices make good things happen, whether or not you’re carrying a treat pouch.

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What happens during the first few minutes of an interaction with your puppy can have a big impact on what happens next! In this episode of The Puppy Training Podcast, we explore how to intentionally set your puppy up for success during four everyday moments: coming home, welcoming guests, getting out of the crate, and starting a walk.

Instead of waiting for your puppy to become overly excited, jump, bark, pull, or race around and then trying to correct the behavior, learn how to use those first few minutes to encourage calmness, connection, and appropriate choices.

We’ll talk about creating simple routines, using management tools, rewarding calm behavior, and teaching your puppy what to do when exciting things happen. Because your puppy doesn't automatically know how to behave in these moments—we have to give them opportunities to practice.

Start calm. Start intentionally. Give your puppy a behavior worth repeating!

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What do you do when your puppy attacks your kids' ankles in the morning? How do you recognize when your puppy needs to go potty? Should you always say “off” when your puppy gets on the furniture? And what does it mean when your puppy growls while chewing something valuable?

In this episode, Amy answers real questions from a new puppy family and breaks down exactly how to handle these common puppy behaviors. You'll learn how to prevent and redirect ankle biting, recognize your puppy's individual potty signals, teach an alternative to getting on furniture, and respond appropriately to growling and potential resource guarding—without punishing communication.

Most importantly, we'll talk about the bigger picture: don't just teach your puppy what NOT to do. Teach your puppy what TO do instead.

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