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How soon can I train my new 9-week-old puppy without overwhelming her?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed | 2 months and 9 days old | 2 lbs

I just adopted my dog three days ago. She’s 9 weeks old and very tiny. Because she’s so small we are waiting another month to finish her shots. In the meantime I am keeping her in the house and basically paper training her. What I am wondering is how soon is too soon to start working with her? I’ve been trying to teach her her name and when and where to potty but it’s slow going. I don’t want to overwhelm her and to go at a decent pace but I worry how much is too much or how much is too little?

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1 Answer

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Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 23rd, 2018

It is never too soon to start some basic training and at 9 weeks she should be more than ready even if she is small. I would keep training sessions short but frequent. If she loses interest, stop and try again in a few hours. I really like Sophia Yin's book The Perfect Puppy in 7 Days - she recommends integrating training into your daily routine. https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Puppy-Days-Start-Right/dp/0964151871/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524569051&sr=8-1&keywords=the+perfect+puppy+in+7+days

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