Classes – Puppy

Our puppy kindergarten classes are for any dogs over 10 weeks old and up to 6 months old.

Our puppy class runs for 8 weeks. The first week is orientation, which is people only, no dogs.  During this orientation, key information is passed along regarding the training staff, the class, and what you can expect from us.    Then, we have 7 weeks with the dogs.

Depending on the number of puppies we have, we may run more than one class.

Course content includes a beginning on the basic commands: Heel (walking on a loose leash), sit, stay, stand, come, down.  Other course content includes taking a toy and/or food away from the puppy (so ensure they are not overly possessive), talking about common puppy issues, like chewing, housebreaking, and the proper use of a crate or kennel area.  Our class content is in line with the American Kennel Club S.T.A.R. Puppy Program, so upon graduating from our class, you will be given all the paperwork necessary to file with the AKC.  This will get your puppy listed in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy book, and you will be given a medal, certificate, and puppy book from the AKC.  This class is an excellent lead in to the Canine Good Citizen program, also sponsored by the American Kennel Club.

One of the key parts of the puppy kindergarten class is puppy play time, to allow the dogs to properly socialize with other puppies as well as other people,.  We also work the puppies on confidence building, such as walking through a tunnel or over a raised platform.    These items will ensure the puppies grow up well accustomed to the “real world”.

We try to keep our classes between 10 and 12 puppies, enough to create a good class with distractions, but few enough to ensure everyone gets personal attention from the training staff.  We do not separate classes based on the dog’s size, breed, or age, so you will have the opportunity to interact with all different types of dogs and people.

We train the puppies on a regular buckle collar.  Spike collars and electronic collars are never allowed on the training grounds.

Since the puppies are very young, we also give the handler the option of using treats.  We do stress the importance of bonding with your dog, the use of verbal and hand praise, however, young puppies often need something a little more than this to focus on.  It is your option in the puppy class whether you wish to begin your training using treats or a toy as a “lure” for the dog.  We do, however, work with you to wean the puppies off the treats to regular voice commands by the time the dog reaches 6 months of age.

Next session orientation (people only, no dogs): May 7, 2024.  Please plan to arrive between 5:15 and 5:30, orientation will begin at 5:30.

Other class needs:

6 foot leash (we have leather leashes available for sale in the training building, or you are welcomed to purchase them outside).
At orientation, you will need to bring your puppy’s shot records showing all current vaccinations.