The Puppy Training Podcast

Hosted by BAXTER & Bella Puppy Training

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Episodes

297

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Amy Jensen is a professional puppy trainer, service dog trainer and creator of BAXTER & Bella, the Online Puppy School. She spends her free time training dogs to be calm, well-mannered household members as well as service & therapy dogs. After receiving many requests to train dogs for people, Amy decided to roll out a comprehensive how-to online training program to help you train your own dog. On this podcast, she shares training tips aimed at helping you be successful on your own puppy training journey. #baxterandbellapuppytraining #theonlinepuppyschool

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 5, 2026Episode 2979 min

Episode #297 Creating Crate Confidence

You can put your puppy in the crate — and in this episode, Amy shows you how to do it in a way that builds confidence. Week-one crate games that teach your puppy to love the crate, the guilt-free “scoop, reward, settle” routine for real life (showers, doorbells, work calls), and how to rebuild slowly after a scary crate experience. Homework: one crate game a day, meals in the crate, and two real-life crate reps a day. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

October 29, 2026Episode 29612 min

Episode #296 Help For Jumping Dogs

Jumping was the #1 theme in our reader mail — jumping on guests, jumping when you walk in the door, jumping at the world on walks. In this episode, Amy explains why dogs jump (it's a greeting, and it works), the “four on the floor” game that replaces it, how to manage real arrivals with leashes, gates, and briefed guests, and how to handle jumping at people and even moving vehicles out on walks. Your homework: pick ONE greeting this week and start rehearsing the new one. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

October 22, 2026Episode 29510 min

Episode #295 Changing Unwanted Habits In Adult Dogs

Living with an adult dog with well-practiced habits? Jumping on guests, counter surfing, doorbell chaos—those behaviors aren't permanent; they're just rehearsed. In this episode, Amy shares her three-step framework for rewriting any habit: MANAGE (stop the rehearsal), REPLACE (teach an incompatible "do instead"), and PROOF (test it against real life, gradually). Your homework: pick ONE habit this week and start closing the old superhighway. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

October 15, 2026Episode 29411 min

Episode #294 What CAN I Train My Dog To Do?

First-time puppy mom Lizzy asked a question that stopped Amy in her tracks: "When you say, 'What do you want your puppy to do?' What are my options?" In this episode, Amy explains why every "don't" needs a "do" instead — and walks through five real-life profiles (retired/home all day, working 9-to-5, families with young kids, apartment vs. house living, and future therapy dogs) with the exact behaviors she'd train first for each one. Your homework: choose one "do" for your dog this week and train them to do it! Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

October 8, 2026Episode 29313 min

Episode #293 Play as a Training Tool

Play is more than a way to burn puppy energy — it can be one of your most effective training tools. In this episode of the Puppy Training Podcast, Amy explains how to use the games your puppy already loves to build focus, recall, impulse control, confidence, and connection. You’ll learn how to add simple start-and-finish cues without taking away the fun, plus five practical games you can try right away: chase-me recall, tug-and-trade, “find it,” hide-and-seek, and fetch with two toys. Amy also shares how to match play to your puppy’s preferences, recognize when excitement is becoming too much, and end a session while your puppy is still successful. Choose one game, pair it with one useful skill, and discover how much learning can happen when training feels like play. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

October 1, 2026Episode 29213 min

Episode #292 Halloween Survival Plan For Your Dog

Halloween is right around the corner! In this episode of the Puppy Training Podcast, Amy shares a complete Halloween game plan for puppy families — how to handle the relentless doorbell on trick-or-treat night, what to do about costumes (on people and on your pup), and how to keep your puppy safe around candy and decorations. You'll learn why Halloween night is for management, not training; how to tell if your dog actually enjoys wearing a costume (most don't!); which candies are true emergencies, including the xylitol danger many families miss; and whether you should bring your puppy trick-or-treating at all. With a little planning, spooky season can be fun for the whole family — including the four-legged members. Happy Halloween! Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

September 24, 2026Episode 29113 min

Episode #291 How Do You Make Puppy Training Look So Easy?

Have you ever watched a BAXTER & Bella training video and thought, “That looks so easy!” —only to try it with your puppy and wonder why your dog doesn't respond the same way? You're not alone! In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what you're actually seeing when we train puppies on video. We explain the five things that make training look effortless: consistency, clear criteria, reinforcement history, emotional baggage, and handler timing. You'll learn why your own history with your puppy matters, how trainers know exactly what behavior they're looking for, and how you can build the same skills and confidence in your own training. The goal isn't to train like a professional. It's to understand what the professional is doing—and then practice those skills with your own puppy. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

September 17, 2026Episode 29016 min

Episode #290 Intentionally Building a Confident Puppy

Confidence doesn't simply happen—it can be intentionally built through small, successful experiences. In this episode, Amy shares a simple way to help your puppy learn that new, unfamiliar things are safe, manageable, and worth exploring. We'll cover how to build confidence through novel objects, different surfaces, sounds, friendly strangers, obstacles, and recovery exercises . You'll learn how to break new experiences into manageable steps, recognize when you've moved too quickly, and help your puppy recover when something startles or worries them. The goal isn't to create a puppy who is never afraid. It's to raise a dog who can experience something unfamiliar, pause, think, recover, and move forward confidently. Instead of hoping confidence develops on its own, learn to build it intentionally—one rung at a time. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

September 10, 2026Episode 28912 min

Episode #289 Reinforcement Beyond Treats

How do you keep your puppy learning when you don’t have treats in your pocket? In this episode of BAXTER & Bella’s The Puppy Training Podcast, Amy explains that reinforcement is about more than food and how everyday rewards can help your dog keep making good choices. Learn how to use life rewards, toys, sniffing, freedom, and praise to reinforce behaviors your puppy already knows. We’ll talk about using access to the things your dog wants—like going outside, playing, exploring, or getting out of the crate—as meaningful rewards for calm behavior and good choices. You’ll also learn why teaching and maintaining a behavior are different, how to gradually vary rewards without losing reliability, and what to do if your dog doesn’t respond when the treats aren’t there. The goal isn’t to stop rewarding your dog. It’s to help your dog understand that good choices make good things happen , whether or not you’re carrying a treat pouch. Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .

September 3, 2026Episode 28814 min

Episode #288 The First Five Minutes Matter

What happens during the first few minutes of an interaction with your puppy can have a big impact on what happens next! In this episode of The Puppy Training Podcast, we explore how to intentionally set your puppy up for success during four everyday moments: coming home, welcoming guests, getting out of the crate, and starting a walk. Instead of waiting for your puppy to become overly excited, jump, bark, pull, or race around and then trying to correct the behavior, learn how to use those first few minutes to encourage calmness, connection, and appropriate choices. We’ll talk about creating simple routines, using management tools, rewarding calm behavior, and teaching your puppy what to do when exciting things happen. Because your puppy doesn't automatically know how to behave in these moments—we have to give them opportunities to practice. Start calm. Start intentionally. Give your puppy a behavior worth repeating! Support the show Follow us on social media Instagram @BAXTERandBella Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool YouTube @BAXTERandBella BAXTER & Bella, The Online Puppy School, teaches you how to train your puppy from home! We offer classes, courses, email support, live 1-1 coaching, weekly group Q&A calls, and more! Subscribe to our site for FREE weekly training tips ! Check out our FREE resources ! Join our membership here .