Is Your Puppy Getting Too Much Freedom?
Your puppy may not have a behavior problem—they may just have more freedom than they’re ready for.
Before blaming your puppy for chewing, stealing, or destroying things around the house, ask one important question: Have they earned that much freedom yet?
One of the biggest mistakes I see dog owners make is giving their puppy adult privileges before they’ve earned them.
A lot of owners give their puppy unrestricted access to the house, only to come home and find chewed furniture, destroyed shoes, damaged sunglasses, or food stolen from the counter.
Then they ask:
“Why does my dog keep doing this?”
The better question is:
“Have I given my puppy more freedom than they’ve earned?”
Your Puppy Isn’t an Adult Yet
Think about it this way.
Giving an adolescent puppy full access to your home is like handing the keys to a five-year-old child and saying, “Drive safely.”
If something goes wrong, it isn’t because the child is bad. It’s because they were given a responsibility they weren’t developmentally ready to handle.
The same principle applies to dogs.
Your puppy isn’t an adult yet. Their brain is still developing. Their impulse control is still developing. Their decision-making is still developing.
And no amount of obedience training can make your puppy mature faster.
Training teaches your dog skills, but maturity comes from time, consistency, and experience.
More Freedom Can Mean More Opportunities to Practice Bad Habits
Every time your puppy practices chewing furniture, stealing food, grabbing household items, or making other poor decisions, they’re rehearsing behaviors you don’t want.
And repetition matters.
When your puppy repeatedly practices unwanted behaviors while unsupervised, those behaviors can become stronger habits.
Eventually, they may become your puppy’s default way of behaving whenever they’re left alone.
This is why giving your puppy too much freedom too soon doesn’t necessarily speed up their progress.
It can actually slow it down.
Ironically, by giving your puppy too much freedom too early, you may be delaying the day they’ll truly be ready for that freedom.
Manage the Environment While Your Puppy Matures
Until your puppy has earned more freedom, focus on managing their environment.
Depending on your puppy and your home, that might mean using:
A crate
An exercise pen
A leash indoors
Baby gates
A puppy-proofed area
Keeping your puppy in the same room where you can supervise them
Management isn’t a replacement for training. It works alongside training.
The goal is to prevent your puppy from repeatedly practicing the wrong behaviors while creating more opportunities for them to practice the right ones.
As your puppy matures and consistently makes better decisions, you can gradually give them more freedom.
How Do You Know When Your Puppy Is Ready for More Freedom?
Instead of basing freedom solely on your puppy’s age, look at their behavior.
Are they consistently leaving household objects alone? Can they settle without constantly looking for something to get into? Are they making good choices when you aren’t actively engaging with them?
Freedom should increase as your puppy demonstrates that they can handle it.
So, instead of asking:
“Why is my puppy doing this?”
Start asking:
“Has my puppy earned this level of freedom?”
Freedom Is Earned
The fastest way to give your puppy more freedom is to prevent them from practicing unwanted behaviors while consistently creating opportunities to practice the behaviors you want.
Remember:
Freedom isn’t based on age. It’s earned through maturity, consistent behavior, and good decisions.
If your puppy is struggling with destructive behavior, household manners, impulse control, or basic obedience, professional training can help you build the structure and communication they need to succeed.
Breyers Canine Academy provides customized, in-home dog training for dog owners throughout the Dallas area.
Ready to build better habits with your dog?
Contact Breyers Canine Academy to learn more about our Dallas dog training programs.
Contact Breyers Canine Academy
Looking for puppy training in Dallas, TX? Breyers’ Canine Academy provides in-home dog training in Dallas and nearby communities, including Highland Park, Addison, Plano, Frisco, Richardson, and Garland.
Ready to get started or have questions?
Call or Text: 469.237.0099
Email: info@breyerscanineacademy.com
Service Area: Dallas, Texas
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