Puppy Training Top Tip

Bondi Behaviourist • April 9, 2026

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Most people think puppy training means teaching commands.


Sit. Stay. Come.


Doing the “right” thing.


But that’s not where it really starts.


It starts with how your puppy feels.


Because your puppy isn’t trying to be “good” or “bad.”


They are showing you how they feel inside.


When a puppy feels calm, they can learn. When a puppy feels safe, they can listen.


When a puppy feels overwhelmed, everything gets harder.


So the goal is not just to teach behaviour.


The goal is to help your puppy feel okay first.


That means:


  • Making sure they get enough sleep
  • Giving them quiet time to rest
  • Keeping their day simple and predictable
  • Helping them before they get too excited or stressed


When your puppy bites, zooms around, or ignores you, it’s easy to think:


“They’re being naughty.”


But look again.


They might be tired.


They might be overwhelmed.


They might not know what to do yet.


It’s not bad behaviour.


It’s a feeling.


So here’s the big idea:


Don’t just train what your puppy does.


Support how your puppy feels.


Because when they feel better, they do better.



And everything else starts to fall into place.

If you’d like help applying this and in doing so, improving your and your your dogs lives, I can support you in a few different ways.

Through Canine Caregivers, I offer online courses and webinars to build understanding, structure, and consistency at your pace.

If you’re based in Sydney, I also offer 1:1 training across Sydney, socialisation classes, and can provide all recommended training equipment to support the work we’re doing.

I offer The Complete Care training program that covers every single base you will need as well as The Starter Program which allows you to tailor the training and support you need with flexibility.

— Ian

 Bondi Behaviourist


“A healthy dog is a happy dog and a happy dog is great to live with”.

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