10 Steps to Simple Training for My Puppy and Me: A fun, kid-friendly guide to building confidence, trust, and healthy boundaries through puppy training (The Smart Puppy Series)
by Tony CashPublish: Jun 22, 2025Teen & Young Adult Advice & How ToBook Overview
Every time you teach your puppy something new, you'll discover something important about yourself.You'll learn to use your voice with courage and conviction.
Consider these examples:
SIT
Learning About Personal Space
STAY
Practicing Patience And Self-Control
COME
Listening and Following Rules
CRATE TIME
Alone Time is Okay
LEASH WALKING
Staying In Your Own Lane
LEAVE IT
Saying No to Things That Aren’t Good For You
DROP IT
Letting Go and Moving On
NO BITING
Respecting Other People’s Boundaries
MEETING NEW PEOPLE
Being Polite And Reading Cues
PUPPY ROUTINE
Creating Boundaries With Time
When you teach your puppy to "leave it," you're helping them stay safe—while learning how to say "no" to things that aren't good for you.
When you teach your puppy to sit and wait, you discover how to be patient and calm, even when excitement bubbles inside you, you're building trust in yourself too.
As you and your puppy master these 10 simple steps, you'll discover just how capable you both are.
I want to share another secret with you: Happiness and joy are different experiences, though both enrich our lives
Happiness often comes from external circumstances—getting a gift, eating ice cream, or playing with your puppy. It can be wonderful but fleeting; you might feel happy one moment, then it vanishes if something goes wrong.
You feel happy when your puppy greets you after school and licks your face. Joy runs deeper—it's an internal feeling that persists even when things aren't perfect. It comes from gratitude, love, faith, and a sense of meaning.
While happiness can be up and down, joy remains constant—you can feel sadness and still have joy underneath.
It's about purpose, connection, and a peaceful heart. Even on a difficult day, you remember how much your puppy loves you and how much you've grown together, and that brings you joy.
Simply put: Happiness depends on what's happening; joy depends on what's inside you.
And boundaries—for your puppy, yourself, and others —contribute significantly to your joy.
