Puppy Kindergarten

Puppy Kindergarten meets Monday-Thursday for 3 weeks (Fridays are used for makeup days).

In this course, you drop off the pup in the am (or use our shuttle service) and the puppy trains during the day, then you pick up the puppy in the afternoons. You're given homework, videos and pictures to help! You are also able to schedule time with the trainer in the afternoons to go over questions, concerns and goals in person. Ideal drop off time is 7-10 am and the ideal pick up time is between 3-6 pm. (We are a 24-7 retreat so in the event you need to drop off or pick up outside those times, we can coordinate this. Please just let us know!)

 

Using positive reinforcement and taking advantage of observational learning, we will work your puppy on the following things:

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• "look"

• "touch"

• "come" / name recognition

• "place"

•  introduction to proper leash walking

• "wait"

• "down"

• "easy"

• no jumping, no biting/nipping, no digging

• crate training

• proper potty-training skills 

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 Puppy Kindergarten Agreement

 

This program is NOT customizable. We have a strict curriculum laid out over the 12 days. Since puppy goes home at the end of each training day, it will take a little while to start to notice a big change in behavior. Please trust the process. The specific things we are teaching your puppy are building blocks that will come together at the end of the course. It is very important that you practice your homework each day, or you will not see the results you’re hoping for by the end of class.

 

While your puppy will only be around other dogs similar in age, size, and temperament, please be aware disagreements between puppies can and do occur. It is important that the trainer stay out of puppy disagreements in most cases to allow them to work it out on their own. Too much or incorrect human intervention will prevent the puppies from learning how to respond to dog cues properly. Because of this, please be aware your puppy may come home with scratches or small cuts/abrasions as puppy teeth are VERY sharp and can leave marks with even the gentlest play.

Your dog is a PUPPY - equivalent to a 1–5-year-old child. If a toddler can’t be trusted unattended in the house, neither should your puppy. Sending your kid to kindergarten doesn’t automatically mean they are fully trained and well behaved. It still takes a ton of reinforcement from the family at home to ensure the positive behaviors continue. You will most likely need additional training as puppy grows and develops - this is normal and not a sign that your dog is dumb, untrained or that you’ve done a poor job of maintaining it. Dogs go through 3 main “frustration phases' ' sometime between the ages of: 8-14 weeks (toddler), 9-12 months (teenager) and 18-24 (adulthood). During this time, you MUST increase structure, discipline, and training daily. If you’re getting frustrated and think you need a little help ALWAYS reach out to us! We are here for the life of your dog and always available to help!

If you believe your dog is too advanced for this class, please consider signing him/her up for Day Training instead. This is a completely customized program that will allow the trainer to work on specific things for your pup!

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