What to Focus on at Each Stage of Your Dog’s Life: It’s Not Just About Obedience

When most people think about dog training, they jump straight to obedience—sit, stay, come, potty training, etc. But if that’s all you focus on, you’re likely to end up with a dog that knows commands but still struggles with life.

Here at Sunshine K9 Training, we see it all the time: dogs who can heel on leash and sit politely at home—but fall apart in public, can’t handle new people, or explode with excitement (or anxiety) when something unexpected happens. That’s because training is about so much more than obedience.

Let’s break it down by life stage and highlight what you should really be focusing on if you want a dog that’s not just trained—but confident, well-mannered, and a joy to live with.

Puppyhood (8 Weeks – 5 Months): Build the Foundation

This stage is all about exposure, socialization, and confidence. While obedience training should be part of the equation, most folks miss out on what we think is the most important part of puppyhood...

🔸 Exposure!!!

Puppies are naturally curious, and this early window is the best time to safely introduce them to the world. That doesn’t mean dragging your puppy into a crowd or letting every stranger pet them. It means calmly and intentionally exposing them to:

Dakota the German Shepherd on some unoccupied playground equipment

• New sounds, surfaces, temperatures, and smells

• Grooming tools and handling

• Crates, car rides, and baby gates

• Other animals at a distance

• Observing people in motion (bikers, joggers, kids, etc.)
  

Many owners avoid early exposure because of vaccine concerns—and that’s valid. But exposure doesn’t mean risking your pup at a dog park. You can drive to a busy parking lot and people-watch from your vehicle, walk on a clean sidewalk downtown, or walk your puppy through a hardware store in a cart. Exposure doesn’t need to mean danger—it just needs to mean new.

🔸 Socialization (Hint: It’s Not Playtime)

True socialization isn’t about your puppy playing with every dog or getting pets from every person. It’s about learning how to coexist calmly around new things.

We teach the “1 in 5” rule: out of every five people who ask to pet your puppy, only one is allowed—and even then, only if your dog wants to engage. You stay in control of that interaction. The goal is to teach your puppy that strangers are not a big deal—not a guaranteed party.

Wyatt the GSP observing the waves which used to be scary, but now he enjoys sitting on the boardwalk and looks forward to it whenever he passes the area!

🔸 Confidence Building

Confident dogs are resilient dogs. Use playground equipment, agility obstacles, and real-world environments to help your puppy learn to:

• Walk across wobble boards or grates

• Crawl under benches

• Step over branches or poles

• Stay calm during mild chaos (traffic noise, water noise, music, etc.)
  

Make it fun. Make it low pressure. The goal is to help them feel capable.

Adolescence (6 Months – 18 Months): Reinforce and Reassess

This stage is often where things start to feel messy. Hormones hit. Behaviors change. Puppies who were once mellow can suddenly become pushy, reactive, or anxious.

🔸 Structure and Boundaries

This is the time to double down on the rules of the house. Where does the dog sleep? When do they eat? Are they respectful of space, or are they jumping on guests and running your home?

This is also the time when owners start asking “Why is he suddenly not listening anymore?” or “She used to be so calm—what happened?”

The answer is: your dog is growing up. And just like teenagers test boundaries, so do dogs. You don’t need to micromanage them—but you do need to lead them.

Hannah the Boerboel around 6 months old at the beach!

🔸 Revisit Exposure and Confidence

It’s easy to assume a dog who’s already “seen it all” as a puppy doesn’t need more exposure. But adolescence can bring new fears, insecurities, or reactivity. Don’t stop the field trips. Keep practicing neutrality around people and dogs. Keep using obstacles and novelty to challenge your dog’s brain.

Adulthood (18 Months and Up): Real-World Obedience + Lifestyle Training

Now’s the time to fine-tune your dog’s obedience in context.

🔸 Proof Obedience Around Distractions

Can your dog listen when there are squirrels nearby? Kids yelling? Someone knocking at the door?

Obedience without real-world application is just a party trick. We focus on making sure obedience actually works when you need it.

🔸 Lifestyle Skills

This is also when we shift focus to the daily behaviors that make or break your relationship

Formerly reactive adult dog observing people in a shady parking lot while his owners push a stroller

with your dog:

• Leash manners on walks

• Calmness in the house

• Settling at a restaurant

• Respecting your space and your guests

• Recall that works outside of your backyard
  

And remember: if your dog skipped those early exposure and confidence-building stages, it’s never too late to go back and start there.

If your dog’s only training is obedience drills and potty rules, you’re likely missing the mark on what really shapes behavior. We’ve met plenty of dogs who can sit—but panic in new environments, bark nonstop at guests, or lose their minds on leash.

London the German Shepherd enjoying a rainy fall day among the crunchy leaves!

Training is about helping dogs live well in the world—not just perform commands.

So focus on the full picture:

• Exposure and socialization

• Confidence and neutrality

• Structure and boundaries

• Obedience with real-world follow-through
  

It’s never too early—or too late—to start. Need help with all this? Let's chat about a program that would help you meet all of your training goals! Schedule a Free Consultation Call!