Puppy Training & Support

It’s happening, you’re getting a puppy! It’s exciting, overwhelming, and let’s be honest… there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. You’re not sure where to start or who to trust. That’s where I come in.

Raising a puppy well takes more than love, it takes structure, clarity, and timing. That crucial early learning period, when your puppy is soaking up the world around them and forming lifelong associations, lasts just a few short months. During this time, your puppy is learning everything: how to feel safe in their new home (with or without other animals), where to potty, what’s okay to chew, and how to navigate all the sights, sounds, and routines of daily life.

Questions come up fast.

How do I stop the biting? Should I use a crate, and how do I introduce it? When should they start socializing? What about the car? The nighttime whining? Should we wait until vaccinations are done before going out into the world?

Your puppy doesn’t come pre-programmed. They’re trying to make sense of it all, and they need your guidance. Without your guidance, they’ll start filling in the blanks for themselves.

I’m here to support both of you. Together, we’ll lay a foundation using positive reinforcement, kindness, and clear boundaries. I’ll help you distinguish needs from wants, set up your home for success, and respond thoughtfully when unwanted behaviors appear (because they will, puppies are learning!).

Support goes beyond our scheduled sessions, whether in person or over Zoom. You’ll also have direct access to me by text and phone for real-time help with questions and situations as they arise.

This stage is fleeting, and so important. Let’s make it a positive, connected experience for both you and your pup. We’ll get it right, together.

Package Options
Ages 0 - 5 months

Optional Puppy Foundation Board & Train
12–20 Weeks

Every puppy and every family is different. Some people have the time and flexibility to work through those early weeks at home, while others appreciate extra support during this important stage of development.

Families enrolled in my 4- or 8-session Puppy Training package may also choose to add an optional Puppy Foundation Board & Train stay for puppies between 12 and 20 weeks of age.

Your puppy stays with me in my home, where I establish thoughtful routines and teach the everyday life skills they'll take back to your home. Learning happens throughout the day using positive reinforcement, kindness, and clear boundaries. Just as importantly, your puppy has plenty of opportunities for rest, play, and exploration.

Unlike many traditional Board & Train programs, your puppy isn't spending their day in a kennel facility. They live as part of my home, allowing me to get to know them as an individual while helping them build confidence, resilience, and the skills they'll need for everyday life.

During their stay, we may work on:

• House training and establishing predictable routines
• Feeling comfortable in a kennel or crate
• Learning that short absences are safe and temporary
• Walking comfortably in a harness and on leash
• Gentle handling for grooming, veterinary visits, and everyday care
• Bathing and introducing grooming in a positive, low-pressure way
• Impulse control and learning to settle
• Appropriate play and bite inhibition
• Confidence around new people, places, sounds, and everyday experiences
• Foundation manners and focus using positive reinforcement

Although your puppy is staying with me, you're very much part of the process. I'll send regular updates, photos, videos, and coaching, so you'll know what your puppy is learning and how to continue building on those skills when they're back home with you.

The goal isn't a "perfect" puppy—there's no such thing. My goal is to give your puppy a thoughtful start and a strong foundation for the months and years ahead.

As your puppy grows into adolescence, those early experiences begin to pay off. The routines, confidence, communication, and life skills they've been practising won't stop adolescence from happening, but they will help both of you navigate it with greater confidence.

An added benefit is that your puppy becomes familiar with my home and routines. If, later on, you choose boarding or a training tune-up, they'll be returning to a place that already feels safe and familiar.

Getting Started

Choose the Puppy Training package that's right for you and complete the Release Form below. Once I've received your signed and dated Release Form, we'll schedule your first session.

Your first appointment may be:

• a Puppy Prep Visit before your puppy comes home,
• a virtual consultation,
• an in-home session after your puppy arrives, or
• for families choosing the Puppy Foundation Board & Train option, we'll discuss the best time for your puppy's stay and how it fits into your training package.

Together, we'll choose the starting point that best suits you, your puppy, and your family's needs.

Release Form