Puppy Glossary: Common Puppy Terms Explained for New Owners
Bringing home a puppy comes with a whole new vocabulary. Your veterinarian might mention a vaccination schedule, a trainer might talk about positive reinforcement, and another puppy owner might describe their dog as a “land shark.”
This puppy glossary explains common care, training, health, and behaviour terms in plain language. Use it whenever you come across an unfamiliar word while learning about your puppy.
Getting Started With Your Puppy
Adoption: Bringing a dog into your home through a shelter, rescue, or another rehoming arrangement.
Breeder: Someone who breeds dogs. Responsible breeders consider the health, temperament, and welfare of their dogs and puppies.
Decompression: Time to rest and adjust after a change, such as moving into a new home. A calm environment and predictable routine can help.
Foster: A person or household providing a temporary home for a dog while a permanent placement is arranged.
Littermate: A puppy born in the same litter as another puppy.
Pedigree: A record of a dog’s ancestry. A pedigree does not, by itself, guarantee good health or temperament.
Puppy-proofing: Making your home and yard safer by removing or securing hazards, including electrical cords, medications, cleaners, and objects your puppy could swallow.
Routine: A familiar pattern of meals, toilet breaks, play, training, and rest. A routine can be consistent without following an exact clock every day.
3-3-3 rule: A popular guideline describing adjustment over roughly three days, three weeks, and three months after a dog enters a new home. It is a reminder to allow adjustment time, not a proven timetable or deadline.
For help getting started, read New Puppy’s First Weeks.
Potty Training and Crate Terms
Crate: An enclosed space where a puppy can rest or travel when it is appropriately sized and used safely.
Crate training: Gradually teaching your puppy to feel comfortable in a crate through positive experiences and manageable periods inside.
Crate whining: Vocalizing while in a crate. A puppy may need a toilet break, feel worried, or be struggling with the amount of time inside. Check their needs rather than assuming every cry should be ignored.
Enzymatic cleaner: A cleaner that uses enzymes to break down substances in pet messes and help remove lingering odours. Follow the product’s instructions.
Housebreaking / house training: Other names for potty training.
Potty accident: Peeing or pooping somewhere you did not intend. Accidents are common while puppies are learning and do not mean they are being spiteful.
Potty pad: An absorbent pad used as an indoor toilet surface. It can be useful in some situations, although puppies may need extra help transferring that habit outdoors.
Potty schedule: A plan for regular toilet opportunities, including after waking, eating, drinking, and playing. Adjust the frequency to your puppy’s needs.
Supervision: Actively watching your puppy so you can notice toilet signals, prevent unsafe chewing, and reward helpful behaviour.
Learn more in Puppy Potty Training.
Everyday Training Words
Bite inhibition: A dog’s ability to control the pressure of their bite. Learning gentle play does not mean biting should be encouraged.
Capturing: Rewarding a behaviour your puppy offers naturally. For example, you might reward them when they choose to lie quietly on their bed.
Clicker: A small tool that makes a consistent clicking sound. Trainers use it to mark a behaviour before delivering a reward.
Clicker training: Training that uses a clicker to tell your puppy exactly which action earned a reward.
Command / cue: A word, gesture, or other signal asking for a behaviour. “Cue” is commonly used in reward-based training.
Cooperative care: Teaching your puppy to participate willingly in care tasks, such as showing a paw for a nail check or resting their chin for an examination.
Distraction: Something competing for your puppy’s attention, such as another dog, a smell, or a passing vehicle.
Drop it: A cue asking your puppy to release something already in their mouth.
Fading the lure: Gradually removing the visible food used to guide a movement. Rewards can continue after your puppy responds without seeing the lure.
Force-free training: An approach that avoids deliberately using pain, fear, or intimidation to teach behaviour.
Generalization: Learning that a cue means the same thing in different places. A puppy who sits in your kitchen may still need practice outside.
Hand feeding: Offering some food directly from your hand, often during training. It is optional and should feel comfortable for both you and your puppy.
High-value treat: A food reward your puppy finds especially appealing. Its value depends on the individual puppy and the situation.
Impulse control: Skills that help a puppy pause before acting, such as waiting briefly before going through a doorway.
Leave it: A cue asking your puppy to disengage from something. It differs from “drop it,” which applies when the item is already in their mouth.
Loose-leash walking: Walking with slack in the leash. Your puppy does not have to remain in an exact heel position.
Luring: Using food or another appealing item to guide a puppy into a movement, such as a sit.
Marker: A signal, such as “yes” or a click, that identifies the behaviour being rewarded.
Name game: A simple exercise that rewards your puppy for looking toward you when they hear their name.
Place / mat training: Teaching your puppy to go to a particular mat or bed and gradually become comfortable resting there.
Positive reinforcement: Giving something your puppy values after a behaviour so that behaviour becomes more likely. For example, rewarding a puppy after they come when called.
Recall: Returning to you when called. Practise in safe, enclosed areas or with a suitable long line.
Redirecting: Guiding your puppy toward an appropriate alternative, such as offering a chew toy when they start mouthing your sleeve.
Release cue: A signal such as “okay” or “free” telling your puppy that a behaviour like a stay has ended.
Reward: Something your puppy enjoys, such as food, play, sniffing, or access to an activity.
Shaping: Rewarding small steps toward a final behaviour. For example, rewarding a glance at a mat, then a step toward it, then standing on it.
Stay: A cue asking your puppy to remain in a position until released. Begin with short, achievable practice.
Targeting / touch: Teaching your puppy to touch a target, often your hand, with their nose or paw.
Behaviour and Socialization Terms
Barrier frustration: Frustration that occurs when a gate, fence, leash, or other barrier prevents access to something. It may involve barking or lunging.
Body language: Communication through posture, movement, facial expression, and tail or ear position. Look at the whole puppy and the situation rather than interpreting one sign alone.
Calming signals: A term sometimes used for behaviours such as turning away, lip licking, or yawning. These can occur during discomfort, but their meaning depends on context.
Counterconditioning: Helping change an emotional response by pairing something concerning with something pleasant, at a level your puppy can manage.
Desensitization: Gradual exposure to something your puppy finds worrying, starting at an intensity that does not overwhelm them.
Enrichment: Activities that let puppies use natural behaviours, such as sniffing, exploring, chewing, and searching for food.
Fear period: A term for a developmental stage when a young dog may seem more sensitive to unfamiliar experiences. Timing varies, and new fear can also have other causes.
Growling: A form of communication that can occur during play or signal discomfort. Consider the context, give a worried puppy space, and avoid punishing warning signals.
Habituation: Becoming less responsive to a repeated experience that has no important consequences, such as a familiar background sound.
Mouthing / mouthiness: Using the mouth to explore or interact. Puppies may mouth hands, clothing, or objects while playing or learning.
Overstimulation: Becoming overwhelmed or overly excited by activity, noise, or other input. Some puppies become more bitey or find it harder to settle.
Prey drive: A tendency to notice, chase, or pursue moving things. Management matters around cats, wildlife, and traffic.
Reactivity: A strong response to a trigger, often involving barking, lunging, or frantic movement. Reactivity does not automatically mean a dog intends to cause harm.
Resource guarding: Behaviour used to protect something valued, such as food, a chew, or a resting place. It can include freezing, growling, or snapping. Avoid confrontations and seek qualified help.
Separation anxiety / separation distress: Distress related to being apart from a person or being alone. Occasional whining does not establish a diagnosis; persistent panic needs professional assessment.
Socialization: Helping your puppy develop comfortable responses to people, animals, sounds, places, and handling through suitable, positive experiences. It does not require greeting every person or dog.
Socialization window: An early developmental period when experiences strongly influence how puppies respond to the world. Safe learning continues beyond this period; ask your veterinarian about appropriate outings before vaccination is complete.
Threshold: A practical way to describe the level at which your puppy begins struggling to cope. If they become overwhelmed, create distance or reduce the intensity.
Trigger: Something that starts a response, such as a doorbell, unfamiliar dog, or loud noise.
For help with mouthiness, read Puppy Biting and Chewing.
Puppy Supplies and Equipment
Chew toy: An item intended for chewing. Choose an appropriate size and material, supervise use, and replace damaged toys.
Collar: A band worn around the neck, often used to hold identification tags and attach a leash.
Crate cover: Material placed over part of a crate to reduce visual stimulation. Keep ventilation clear and fabric out of chewing reach.
Exercise pen / X-pen: A portable enclosure providing a puppy with a limited area for supervised play or rest.
Food-stuffable toy: A hollow toy that holds food, giving your puppy something to lick, chew, or work on.
GPS tracker: A device that can help locate a dog using location technology. It is different from a microchip and may depend on a subscription or network coverage.
Harness: Equipment worn around the chest and body for leash attachment. Fit and design affect comfort and security.
ID tag: A tag displaying contact information, usually attached to a collar.
Leash / lead: A strap connecting your puppy to you for management and safety.
Lick mat: A textured surface that holds spreadable food for licking. Supervise use so your puppy does not chew or swallow the mat.
Long line: A longer training leash allowing more movement while maintaining a physical connection. Use it in suitable spaces and watch for tangles.
No-pull harness: A harness designed to help manage pulling, often with a front attachment. It supports management but does not replace training.
Puzzle toy: A toy that requires actions such as nudging or sliding pieces to reach food.
Puppy gate: A barrier used to restrict access to rooms or other areas. Choose a secure installation suitable for the location.
Slow feeder: A bowl or feeding device with obstacles that help slow food intake.
Snuffle mat: A mat with folds or strips where food is hidden for sniffing and searching.
Treat pouch / bait bag: A wearable bag that keeps training treats easy to reach.
For help choosing supplies, read New Puppy Shopping List.
Feeding, Grooming, and Veterinary Terms
Body condition score / BCS: An assessment of body fat using appearance and touch. Your veterinarian can help you assess your puppy alongside their growth.
Bordetella: A bacterium that can contribute to infectious respiratory illness. You may hear the name when discussing a vaccine commonly requested for boarding or group activities.
Deciduous teeth: Baby teeth that are normally replaced by permanent adult teeth.
Dewclaw: A toe and claw located higher on the leg than the main toes. Some dogs have rear dewclaws as well as front ones.
Deworming: Treatment for certain internal parasites. The appropriate product and schedule depend on veterinary advice.
DHPP / DAPP: Abbreviations used for combination vaccines covering distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. Names and formulations can vary; your clinic can explain your puppy’s record.
Feeding chart: A food manufacturer’s portion guide. It is a starting point that may need adjustment for growth, body condition, and the food’s energy content.
Fecal exam: Testing a stool sample for parasites or other findings. Your clinic may ask you to bring a fresh sample.
Flea and tick prevention: Products used to prevent or control fleas and ticks. Your veterinarian can advise on products appropriate for your puppy’s age and weight.
Giardia: A microscopic intestinal parasite that can cause diarrhea, although infected dogs may show no symptoms.
Grooming: Caring for the coat, skin, nails, ears, and teeth.
Growth plates: Developing areas near the ends of growing bones. Their closure varies; discuss suitable exercise for your puppy with your veterinarian.
Heartworm prevention: Medication used to prevent heartworm disease, which is spread through mosquitoes. Product schedules and testing should follow veterinary advice.
Kennel cough: A common name for a contagious respiratory illness involving several possible organisms. It can spread outside kennels, too.
Kibble: Dry dog food made into small pieces.
Microchip: A small identification chip placed under the skin and read with a scanner. It is not a GPS tracker; keep its registration and contact details current.
Neuter: Commonly used to mean surgically removing a male dog’s testicles. Discuss timing with your veterinarian.
Parvovirus / parvo: A highly contagious viral disease that can cause severe illness, especially in puppies. Vaccination is an important part of prevention.
Rabies: A serious viral disease affecting the nervous system that can spread between animals and people. Your veterinarian can explain vaccination requirements where you live.
Spay: Surgery to prevent pregnancy by removing the ovaries, sometimes along with the uterus. The procedure and timing should be discussed with your veterinarian.
Teething: The stage when baby teeth fall out and adult teeth emerge. Suitable chew toys can provide an appropriate chewing outlet.
Vaccination schedule: A plan for initial vaccines and later doses. It depends on age, previous vaccination, location, and other individual factors.
Weaning: Gradually transitioning from the mother’s milk to other food.
Whelping: The process of a dog giving birth.
Puppy Slang You Might See Online
Boop: A playful word for a gentle nose touch. Let your puppy choose whether they enjoy that interaction.
Doggo: An affectionate internet word for a dog.
Floof: A playful name for a fluffy dog.
Foster fail: A lighthearted phrase for someone who permanently adopts a dog they were fostering.
FRAPs: Short for “frenetic random activity periods,” a term commonly used for zoomies.
Land shark: A joking name for a puppy who seems to put their teeth on everything.
Puppy blues: Feelings of stress, sadness, overwhelm, or regret while adjusting to puppy ownership. Asking for support and arranging breaks can help.
Puppy tax: An informal request to share a puppy photo after mentioning your dog online.
Sploot: Lying on the belly with the hind legs stretched behind the body.
Toe beans: A playful name for paw pads.
Velcro dog: A dog who likes to stay close and follow their person around. This alone does not mean they have separation anxiety.
Zoomies: Sudden bursts of running or energetic movement. They can happen during excitement or after rest and do not automatically mean your puppy needs more exercise.
Put the Words Into Practice
You do not need to memorize every puppy term. Start with the words that help you understand your puppy’s daily needs: potty training, positive reinforcement, socialization, supervision, and rest.
When a veterinary or training term is unclear, ask the professional using it to explain what it means for your puppy.
Want a simple place to start? Get the FREE Puppy Starter Checklist at PuppyStarterPlan.com.