If Your Puppy’s Acting Out, You Might Be Skipping These 8 Crucial Boundaries

Let’s talk truth: puppies are sweet, floppy, and fun—but also fully capable of turning your home into a shredded, bark-filled mess. And it usually doesn’t start with one big behavior problem. It starts with a few small habits that go unchecked… and before you know it, you’re living with a tiny furry tornado.

The part no one tells you? Most puppies don’t act out to be “bad”—they act out because they’re confused. Dogs crave structure. Without clear boundaries, they get anxious, clingy, and defiant because they don’t know what the rules are.

Here are 8 common boundary mistakes new puppy parents make—and what to do instead to raise a calm, confident, well-behaved dog.

1. Letting Your Puppy Roam the House Like They Pay Rent

Your puppy is small, curious, and constantly sniffing. Letting them have free rein of the house too soon might feel like giving them “freedom,” but it’s really setting them up to fail. They don’t know where to go potty. They don’t know what they’re allowed to chew. And they definitely don’t understand the difference between the floor mat and your $300 rug.