Teaching your dog how to put its paws in a box, is not only a trick you can check off your tricks list it’s always a great opportunity for you (the handler) to better your training skills by using shaping to teach this trick.
For the AKC trick title, they call this trick Get in a box and it’s a novice trick. AKC Novice tricks checklist Click here to download your list.
For Do More With Your Dog, this trick is called Paws in a Box and is also a novice trick. To see the list of tricks for DMWYD, Click here.
Using Shaping to teach Paws in a Box
Shaping is a way of building a completely new behavior.
Shaping games don’t just entertain your dog, they’re a great way to mentally stimulate your dog and help give both you and your dog a boost of confidence.
In shaping, you can gradually teach your dog a new action or behavior by rewarding it during each step of the process while learning that behavior. You can break up a potentially complicated action into smaller parts that your dog will learn and understand more quickly.
Working on the trick “Paws in a Box” is a great way to practice using shaping.
Mark the Behavior
Since you are going to want to reward your dog for small increments towards the goal behavior, you are going to want to let your dog know they’re on track. Marker training can speed up communication between you and your dog.
Marker is a sound/word (for example, “yes”) that is used to indicate that the dog has done a behavior that will earn a reward. It communicates to the dog that what they were doing at that exact moment was the right thing. A marker will be followed up by a reward.
Gives the dog the opportunity to offer the correct, desired behavior for a reward.
Marker training is a science/researched and is an effective, efficient way to teach dogs.
A Clicker versus Marker Word
A Clicker is a device that makes a distinct sound. The clicker has many advantages over words as used for a marker. Using a clicker is much more precise.
Load the Marker or Clicker
You’ll need to load your marker (word, signal, or clicker) before you start using a marker. How to teach your dog the meaning of a Marker signal or Clicker?
With your dog in front of you, say the word (or click with the clicker).
Immediately give your dog a treat.
Repeat 10-15 times per training session over the next few days. You just want your dog to learn that the sound means a reward is coming!
Next, when your dog is not looking at you say your marker word or click, and present food. If your dog looked towards you when you said your marker word or clicker, then they have made the association between the marker and the treat.
Once they’ve made the association your marker is loaded and now you can use it for training.
Clicker Recommendations:
Ruconla- 4 Pack Dog Training Clicker with Wrist Strap Click here
Karen Pryor Clicker Training Terry Ryan Clik Stik for Pet Training Click here
Set up and Choose a Box for this trick
Like any new prop, the very first step is that you present the box in a safe room and your dog is given an opportunity to go check it out and determine that it’s safe. If you skip this step your dog may end up being afraid of the box or any prop and you may have a hard time working towards the goal of the trick. To do this place the box down on the ground, and sprinkle a few treats on and around the box. Step back and let your dog explore without hovering.
For this trick, all the equipment you need is a shallow cardboard box. The sides should be no more than three or four inches high. Some boxes come with a lid, and the lid can be a great choice when first teaching this trick.
The size of the box depends on the size of your dog and if you want 2 paws in or 4 paws in the box. The larger the surface, can make it easier is to start this trick. Once your dog has learned the trick and you have it on cue, you can switch to other boxes of a variety of materials and sizes.
Let’s get started…
Step 1: Attention to the Box
Step by step tutorial for Paws in a box
In a quiet room away where your dog feels safe, place the box on a slip-proof floor. The moment your dog looks at the box, mark (say your marker word or click) and reward. Place the reward directly in the box, to help build value to the box. Once your dog finishes the treat, toss a treat to reset your dog.
When you the turnaround and look towards the box, mark and again reward as you did before (directly in the box). Gradually wait for your dog to move toward the box before you mark the behavior. Repeat a couple of times before ending your session for the moment.
Step 2: Touching the Box
On your next training session, repeat the above step one time before moving on. In this step, you’ll be looking for your dog to touch the box in any way before you mark and reward. The moment they touch the box, mark, and this time reward by tossing the treat away from the box. Your dog can touch the box with their nose, paw, and mouth at this stage it doesn’t matter. Repeat a couple of times, before giving your dog the “all done” cue and giving them a break. Be sure to pick up the box when you are done with the training session.
Step 3: One Paw in the box
Diane Waked and her tiny Bernedoodle Brutus demonstrate 2 paws in a box.
When your dog is reliably touching the box, it’s time to focus only on marking if your dog touching the box with their paw.
Present the box on the floor again and wait, and as soon as you see one paw touch the box, mark, and reward by tossing a treat. Tossing the treat resets your dog so you can do more repetitions.
When your dog turns around, be ready to mark when they return and put one paw in the box again. After a couple of reps, pick up the box and give your dog the “all done” cue. Take a break before you move on to the next step.
Step 4: 2- 4 Paws in the Box
Now that your dog has put one paw in the box, you can progress to two paws in the box. Then look for a third and finally a fourth (if you wish).
Back paws can be harder than front paws, so you may need to go slow and be patient so your dog doesn’t get frustrated.
Once your dog is doing the goal behavior (2 paws or 4 paws in the box), you’ll want to reward your dog in place with their paws in the box. From here you can add a little more duration in the box. To do this, when your dog has their paws in the box, mark the goal behavior and reward to your dog’s mouth. When you treat, offer 2-3 treats in a row or give them a longer treat while in place (paws in the box) and let them chew on it. This will help build a little duration in the box.
Remember to keep your sessions short. This will help keep your dog motivated and wanting to learn more. Set a timer for 1-2 minutes or count your treats before you start each session, so you can track your reps.
Step 5: Put the trick on the Cue
Now that your dog is going into the box reliably, you can put this trick on cue. A common cue for this is “box” or “go hide.” We do not add a cue to a behavior until the dog knows how to perform it without lures or prompts from you.
Cues should be able to be given consistently, distinct from other cues your dog already knows, not confused with praise or other meanings, and easy to transfer to others.
To add a cue to this trick, just before your dog puts their paws in the box, quietly say your cue word or make a subtle hand signal.
When the dog performs the trick, mark and then offer a treat. Then say your release cue, and toss an additional treat a short distance away so the dog gets up. This treat “resets” the dog so you can cue them again. As soon as your dog has finished eating, say your cue again. When they put their paws back in the box, mark, and reward. Repeat.
Continue the sequence of cue-behavior-mark-treat several times in a row.
Once you’ve done a few more practices and your dog knows this trick on cue, only mark and reward if you cue the trick.
Looking for something fun to do together with your dog?
Would you like to form a closer relationship and learn to communicate more clearly with your dog? Join our tricks and more classes.
During class, you will learn the foundation of how to break down complicated tricks into smaller-easier behaviors. Once you understand how to train tricks, the possibilities are endless as to what you can teach your dog.
About the Author: Yo Armendariz KPA CTP, CDTI, CSD
Yo ArmendarizYo Armendariz with her puppy Bandit
Yo Armendariz is the owner of Canine Learning Academy in Sunset Beach, California.
She has many years of experience training dogs and their humans as well as raising puppies in her home and is a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Program. Karen Pryor Academy is a rigorous certification program that requires continuing education and a pledge to train using force-free methods and techniques.
She uses clicker training and positive reinforcement to solve problems and train dogs to a high level of training and specializes in training families that live in busy cities that want a well-mannered dog that can go everywhere and service dogs.
Creating a Puppy Schedule and Routine: The Secret to a Happy, Well-Behaved Dog
Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting — and overwhelming — experiences you’ll ever have. Between potty training, naps, playtime, and socialization, your puppy depends on you to bring structure to their brand-new world. One of the most powerful tools you can give your pup from day one is a consistent schedule and routine.
What Is a Puppy Schedule?
A puppy schedule is a predictable daily rhythm that includes set times for meals, potty breaks, naps, play, training, and bedtime. Just like children, puppies thrive on knowing what to expect. A routine helps them learn faster, feel secure, and settle into family life with confidence.
A typical day for a young puppy might include:
Morning potty break right after waking up
Breakfast, followed by a short play session or walk
Nap time in their crate or pen
Midday potty break and lunch
Play, training, or socialization time
Dinner and evening potty walk
Quiet time and bedtime routine around the same time each night
Why It’s Important
A consistent routine teaches your puppy how to behave by helping them predict what happens next.
Supports house training: Predictable potty breaks reduce accidents.
Encourages calm behavior: Regular naps prevent overstimulation and biting from fatigue.
Builds confidence: Puppies feel safer when life feels predictable.
Makes training easier: When puppies know when to rest, eat, and play, they can focus better during lessons.
Strengthens your bond: Daily repetition builds trust and communication between you and your puppy.
When routines are inconsistent, puppies can become anxious, overexcited, or confused about expectations. A structured day sets the foundation for a lifetime of good habits and harmony.
How to Create a Routine That Works
Start Simple – Map out your day and match your puppy’s needs to your lifestyle. Puppies under 5 months need to go potty every 2–3 hours, nap often, and have short bursts of activity.
Use Visual Reminders – Write your puppy’s schedule on a whiteboard, planner, or fridge chart. Consistency among family members is key.
Anchor Key Moments – Keep wake-up, mealtime, and bedtime consistent. Build everything else (training, play, walks) around those anchor points.
Balance Activity and Rest – Puppies need 16–18 hours of sleep per day! Alternate 30–60 minutes of awake time with naps.
Include Mental Enrichment – Add puzzle feeders, sniff walks, and short training games into the day to meet your puppy’s need for mental stimulation.
Adjust as They Grow – Your schedule should evolve as your puppy matures. Potty breaks get longer, naps get shorter, and more training time can be added.
Daily Routine Ideas for Your Puppy
Mix & Match Activities to Fit Your Schedule
Every puppy — and every family — has a different rhythm. The key to raising a happy, confident dog is giving your puppy the right balance of physical exercise, mental stimulation, social experiences, and training. Think of these categories as puzzle pieces that make up your puppy’s ideal day.
You don’t need to do everything every day. Instead, pick one or two ideas from each category and rotate them throughout the week. The variety keeps your puppy engaged and prevents boredom, frustration, and unwanted behaviors.
1. Physical Enrichment
Helps burn energy, build coordination, and satisfy natural instincts like chasing, tugging, and digging.
How to use: Schedule one or two physical activities during your puppy’s awake times. Keep sessions short and fun (5–10 minutes for young pups). Physical play helps your dog release energy appropriately so they’re calm at home.
2. Mental Enrichment
Exercises your puppy’s brain and builds problem-solving skills — a tired mind is a happy mind.
Tearing up a box
Ball pit fun
Food puzzles or snuffle mats
ACE Free Work (choice-based exploration)
Scavenger hunt for treats
Treat Tournament
Muffin tin game
Frozen Kong or lick mat
Trash bag game
Paper towel roll challenge
DIY enrichment crafts
How to use: Offer one or two mental games daily, especially when you can’t provide as much physical activity. These activities reduce frustration, promote independence, and make alone time more peaceful.
To learn more about enrichment, check out our blog- CLICK HERE
3. Training (During Meal Time)
Turns everyday feeding into mini lessons that teach manners and focus.
Loose leash walking position
Harness & leash on/off practice
Collar/harness grab
Recall (“Come!”)
“Go to…” (place, mat, crate, etc.)
“Get” or “Find it” games
“Which one?” choice games
Target training (hand, object, or mat)
Trick training
Polite greetings
Sit, down, stay, settle on a mat
Front & back door manners
Paws up / paws off
Paw target to hand or object
Shake, pull it, take it, drop, leave it
How to use: Use a portion of your puppy’s meal as rewards during 5–10-minute sessions. Training through mealtime builds focus, patience, and communication while keeping your puppy mentally sharp.
4. Socialization & Exposure
Builds confidence and prevents fear during the critical early learning window (8–16 weeks, and beyond).
Explore new environments
Make a DIY obstacle course at home
Visit public places (store fronts, sidewalks)
Play sound desensitization tracks
Introduce water in a positive way
Gentle grooming and handling
Cooperative care practice (touching paws, ears, teeth)
Visit parks or sit near dog parks (observe only)
Field trip to a school or café
Car rides
Watch kids playing (at a safe distance)
Grocery or hardware store parking lots
How to use: Choose calm, positive environments and keep sessions short. Always pair new experiences with treats and praise. The goal is to create good first impressions, not to overwhelm.
Puppy Socialization
Early Puppy Socialization Is Essential—not just a nice-to-have, but a critical piece of raising a well-adjusted, confident dog. In fact, most behavior issues seen in adult dogs stem from missed or incomplete socialization during the early weeks of life.
If you’re a new puppy parent, it’s important to understand why early puppy socialization is essential to your dog’s lifelong health and happiness. From preventing fear-based behaviors to building emotional resilience, early puppy socialization is essential for setting your pup up for success in our human world.
To learn more about Puppy Socialization, check out this blog. CLICK HERE
5. Training Concepts to Reinforce Every Day
These are the core emotional skills that shape a dog’s behavior for life.
Confidence
Calmness
Flexibility (adapting to change)
Focus
Independence
Proximity (comfort staying near you)
Self-control
Problem solving
How to use: Every game, walk, or cuddle time is an opportunity to strengthen one of these concepts. For example, waiting at the door teaches self-control, sniff walks build confidence, and trick training improves focus.
Putting It All Together
Build your puppy’s day like this:
Morning: Potty break, breakfast training, short walk
Midday: Nap, mental enrichment game, social outing
Afternoon: Physical play, crate rest, calm chew
Evening: Short training session, dinner, quiet cuddle time
Consistency matters, but flexibility keeps it fun. As your puppy grows, you’ll notice what type of activities tire them out most — that’s your cue to adjust and evolve their schedule.
Sample Daily Puppy Schedule & Routine
(Use this as a flexible guide and adjust as needed to fit your household.)
Bringing a puppy into your home is an exciting adventure — and consistency will be your best friend. Puppies thrive on predictability. A steady routine helps them learn faster, feel secure, and build good habits that last a lifetime.
This example schedule follows a natural rhythm for a young puppy’s day, balancing potty training, rest, play, and mental enrichment. Feel free to mix and match activities to suit your schedule.
Morning Routine
5:00 a.m. — Early Potty Break & Back to Bed Start the day with a quick potty break, then return the puppy to the crate to rest until morning. Why: Puppies’ bladders are still developing, so early morning potty breaks prevent accidents. Troubleshooting: If the puppy struggles to settle back down, keep lights low and limit interaction — treat it like a calm, nighttime routine, not playtime.
6:30 a.m. — Potty Break & Loose Leash Walking Practice Carry the puppy to the designated potty area and calmly wait for them to go. Offer soft verbal praise (“potty potty!”) as they begin and again when they finish. Afterward, clip on the leash and practice short Loose Leash Walking sessions — just a few steps at a time. Why: Consistency builds a clear potty routine and helps prevent accidents in the house. Early leash practice sets the foundation for calm walking. Troubleshooting: If the puppy doesn’t go after 10–15 minutes, calmly return them to the crate and try again in 20 minutes. Avoid extended play until after they’ve gone potty.
6:45 a.m. — Breakfast & Training Games Use breakfast as training rewards. Practice simple exercises like recall (“come”), “find it,” or a few leash walking steps. Keep sessions to 1–2 minutes per skill. Why: Training during mealtime boosts focus and makes learning part of the daily routine. Troubleshooting: If the puppy loses focus, reduce distractions or use higher-value treats. Shorten the session rather than repeating cues too often.
8:00 a.m. — Potty Break & Crate Rest Offer another potty break before placing the puppy in their crate for rest. Cover the crate lightly and play calming music or white noise. Why: Teaches independence and helps the puppy learn to self-soothe. Troubleshooting: If the puppy cries, ensure they don’t need to potty again, then wait for short moments of quiet before offering reassurance. Reward calmness, not barking.
Mid-Morning Routine
10:00 a.m. — Potty Break & Play Session Take the puppy to potty, then enjoy a short, structured play session. This might include tug, trading toys, or short fetch games. Why: Controlled play teaches impulse control and strengthens the bond between you and your puppy. Troubleshooting: If the puppy becomes nippy or overstimulated, switch to a calm activity like a sniff game or a short leash walk indoors.
11:00 a.m. — Potty Break & Nap Time Offer another potty break before placing the puppy back in the crate for a mid-morning nap. Why: Young puppies need 16–18 hours of sleep per day to grow and process learning. Troubleshooting: If the puppy resists napping, use a covered crate, a chew toy, and calming background noise to encourage rest.
Daytime Routine
1:00 p.m. — Potty Break & Reinforce Calm Entries/Exits Take a potty break and practice calm behavior while clipping on and removing the leash. Why: Builds impulse control and helps the puppy learn that the leash doesn’t always mean high excitement. Troubleshooting: Wait for calmness before opening the door — patience now prevents leash reactivity later.
1:15 p.m. — Training & Field Trip (Carried) Use part of lunch for short training sessions like recall or “touch.” Then, if safe, carry the puppy or use a carrier for a short field trip — watching traffic, hearing sounds, or sitting outside a café. Why: Gentle exposure builds confidence and prevents future fears. Troubleshooting: Keep experiences positive and short. If the puppy seems unsure (tail tucked, ears back), increase distance and pair the moment with treats.
2:30 p.m. — Potty & Quiet Time in Crate After returning home, allow a potty break, then crate for a nap. Why: Teaches transitions between activity and calm — an essential skill for good behavior. Troubleshooting: If the puppy struggles to settle, add a frozen chew or snuffle mat in the crate.
Afternoon Routine
4:30 p.m. — Potty Break & Short Walk or Training Refresher Offer a potty break followed by leash walking or a few short commands like “sit” and “stay.” Why: Reinforces focus and manners after napping. Troubleshooting: If the puppy is distracted, move training indoors or reduce distractions.
4:45 p.m. — Dinner & Interactive Play Use dinner as part of a training or enrichment session. Introduce new textures, toys, or mild challenges like a puzzle feeder. Why: Turns meals into learning opportunities and prevents boredom. Troubleshooting: If the puppy isn’t eating, make mealtime calmer or hand-feed small portions during training games.
5:00–7:30 p.m. — Evening Engagement & Alone Time Allow structured play, short field trips, or relaxed family time. Keep the puppy awake so they’re ready to sleep overnight. Why: Builds resilience, confidence, and social comfort. Troubleshooting: If the puppy becomes overtired (zoomies, biting), end play early, potty, and crate for a brief rest before resuming.
Evening & Bedtime Routine
7:30 p.m. — Potty & Bedtime Wind-Down Offer a potty break, then quiet time with a chew or gentle massage before bedtime. Why: Creates a calm association with nighttime and signals the day is ending. Troubleshooting: Avoid rough play or stimulation before bed — it can delay sleep.
10:00 p.m. — Final Potty & Overnight Crate Time Give one last potty opportunity before settling the puppy into the crate for the night. Why: Prevents overnight accidents and strengthens the habit of holding it until morning. Troubleshooting: If accidents occur, adjust timing (earlier dinner, more frequent evening breaks).
Key Takeaways
Consistency builds confidence. Keep routines predictable but flexible to fit your lifestyle.
Balance activity and rest. Overtired puppies struggle to learn; rested puppies are focused and calm.
Use every moment as a lesson. From potty time to dinner, structure creates success.
Stay patient and positive. Every puppy learns at their own pace — celebrate progress, not perfection.
Was this routine helpful for you and your puppy? We’d love to hear how it’s going! Be sure to follow our YouTube channel for step-by-step training videos and real-life puppy progress stories, or check out our Instagram page for daily tips, behind-the-scenes moments, and adorable student updates.
If you’d like personalized guidance or want to learn more about our training programs, contact Canine Learning Academy today — we’re here to help you and your pup build confidence, connection, and lifelong skills together.
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