#179 Beyond the Blank Slate

Send us a message - we can't reply but we are listening

Forget everything you thought you knew about bringing home a new puppy. That adorable ball of fur isn't a blank canvas waiting for your training to begin—they've already been developing, learning, and forming their unique personality long before they set paw in your home.

Support the show

🎙️ Have a topic you'd like us to cover?
Submit your suggestion at fiveminutedog.com using the contact form.

📚 Join our online training platform:
Dog training courses from Personable Pets

👩‍💻 Need one-on-one help?
Book a virtual session with a Family Dog expert: personablepets.com/virtual-sessions

📱Follow us for daily tips and updates:
TikTok | Facebook | Instagram

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
A lot of people think that when they bring home a
puppy they're starting from zerolike a total blank slate, clean
canvas, fresh start.
But that's not really how itworks.
Your puppy has already beenlearning long before they ever
set foot in your house, longbefore they ever set foot in

(00:23):
your house.
Genetics, prenatal environment,early social experiences all of
that shapes who they are beforeyou even meet them.
And if you got your puppy ateight to 10 weeks old, that's
two whole months of braindevelopment, stress, exposure

(00:48):
and learning that you didn'tcontrol.
So no, puppies aren't blankslates, and that's not a bad
thing.
It just means we have to payattention to who they are, not
just what we want them to be.
For example, some puppies showsigns of being more sensitive
right away.
They might flinch at suddennoises, take longer to recover

(01:09):
from surprises or seem hesitantin new environments.
That doesn't mean they'rebroken, but it does mean you
need to be more intentionalabout building confidence With
low pressure exposure, quietpraise and not flooding them

(01:30):
with too much at once.
Other puppies seem bold andfearless, but they get easily
overstimulated.
They bite harder, they jumpmore.
They struggle to wind downafter play.
That's not just puppy energy,that's a puppy who needs help
learning impulse control and howto settle, not just more

(01:52):
playtime or stimulation.
You might also see early signsof frustration behaviors A puppy
who barks when they don't gettheir way or throws a mini
tantrum when restrained.
Again, not bad behavior, justbig feelings in a little body
that hasn't learned to cope yet.

(02:12):
Those puppies do well withshort, structured training
sessions and lots ofopportunities to succeed.
And then there's body handling.
This one gets overlooked a lot.
If your puppy already hateshaving his paws touched or
growls when you try to clean hisears or pick him up, don't

(02:36):
ignore it.
That's not something thatthey'll magically grow out of.
That's something that you wantto gently work on.
Lots of rewards, short sessions, pairing touch with calm and
safety, so it doesn't turn intoa bigger issue later on.
Even things like sleepingpatterns, noise, sensitivity or

(02:59):
how your puppy responds to beingalone can give you clues.
Are they confident when they'reexploring or do they cling to
you like Velcro?
Can they nap in a crate, or dothey scream the second the door
closes?
These early behaviors aremessages.
They're telling you about yourpuppy's nervous system, their

(03:20):
comfort zone and what kind ofsupport they need.
So no, your puppy isn't a blankslate, but they are a sponge,
soaking up everything every day.
That means your job isn't justto train behaviors, but to guide
emotional development.
You're helping shape not justwhat they do, but how they feel

(03:46):
about the world, and that's waymore powerful than a blank slate
anyway.