How to train a puppy to be an obedient dog.

Welcome! I am so excited to help you on this journey to building a wonderful, cooperative relationship with your canine companion.

Before we dive into the fun mechanics of training, I'd love to learn a little bit about your puppy. How old are they, and is there any specific behavior you are most concerned about right now?

born march 26, 2026. black lab, german shepherd, great pyrenese mix. like to bite for playing sometimes. needs to learn all the things dogs need to learn. wojuld like a well trained dog i can trust to behave around children.

Your four-month-old mix sounds like an absolute dream of a puppy, combining the loyalty of a Black Lab, the intelligence of a German Shepherd, and the protective, gentle nature of a Great Pyrenees! Since you want a dog you can fully trust around children, focusing on the right training foundation now is the perfect step.

To get there, we are going to use , which is the golden standard for modern dog training.

At its core, positive reinforcement is simple: instead of scolding or punishing your puppy for doing something wrong, we actively reward them for doing what we want. Dogs repeat behaviors that get them good things like tasty treats, physical affection, or exciting play. If we ignore or redirect the bad stuff and lavishly reward the good stuff, your puppy will quickly learn how to behave to get those rewards.

Your path

Core Foundation: Name Recognition and Attention

Essential Commands: Sit, Down, and Stay

Essential Commands: Come and Leave It

Manners and Impulse Control

Make me a study guide for positive reinforcement

I'd love to put together a complete guide for you! Let's get that structured right away so you have a handy reference for training your puppy.

GUIDE

Study Guide

While that study guide is being put together, we can dive right into your biggest immediate concern: managing that puppy play-biting.

At four months old, your puppy is in a major teething phase, and trying to explore the world with their mouth is completely natural. However, because your mix is going to grow into a very large, powerful dog, teaching them now that human skin is sensitive is incredibly important.

Instead of scolding, which puppies often mistake for exciting, loud play noise, we want to use positive reinforcement to them to an appropriate toy the second those teeth make contact with your skin.

How do I redirect my puppy when they are actively biting me?

When your puppy starts biting, the key is to react calmly and swiftly so you don't accidentally turn their biting into a fun, high-energy game.

The Four-Step Redirection Sequence

If those sharp puppy teeth make contact with your skin, immediately follow this step-by-step sequence to show them exactly what they should be biting instead:

Freeze and Make a Sound: Make a soft, high-pitched "Ouch!" and let your hand go completely limp. Do not pull your hand away quickly, as fast movement triggers a puppy's instinct to chase and grab.
Offer the Alternate Target: Immediately present a high-value chew toy or a tug rope with your other hand. Make the toy look exciting by wiggling it slightly on the floor.
Praise the Swap: The very second their jaws release your skin and grip the toy instead, reward them with warm praise and let them chew on it.
Walk Away if They Persist: If they ignore the toy and go right back to your hands or ankles, calmly stand up, cross your arms, and step out of their reach for 10 to 15 seconds. This teaches them that biting human skin makes all the fun and attention completely stop.

By keeping your reactions quiet and consistent, your puppy will learn that chewing on toys keeps the game going, while biting you brings playtime to a grinding halt. Once everyone in your home is on the same page with this redirection, you will see the biting decrease dramatically.

What kind of toys work best for this?

For active, sharp puppy biting, the physical properties of the toy are everything. Your four-month-old mix is growing quickly, and they need toys that are highly engaging, physically satisfying to bite, and long enough to keep your hands completely out of the strike zone.

The Best Redirection Toys

When you are redirecting, you want to choose toys that satisfy their physical teething urges while keeping your fingers safe:

Long Tug Ropes or Fleece Braids: These are fantastic because they create a lot of physical distance between the puppy's mouth and your hand. You can gently wiggle them on the floor to mimic moving "prey," which is incredibly enticing to a puppy's natural instincts.
Soft Latex or Plush Squeak Toys: These offer an immediate, satisfying "give" when bitten, and the squeak provides instant feedback that keeps their attention locked on the toy instead of you.
Chilled or Frozen Teething Toys: Since your puppy is teething, wet a twisty cotton rope or a dedicated rubber toy and freeze it. The cold temperature numbs their sore gums, making it much more appealing than your warm skin.

Keep three or four of these specific toys scattered around the rooms where you spend the most time so you can grab one instantly without having to hunt for it.

While having the right toys is crucial, they only work if everyone in your household uses them the exact same way. That brings us to another critical pillar of positive reinforcement: .