Puppy Program

Right away!

Puppies are sponges; they are always learning. Starting as soon as you get your puppy, or even contacting us before, can help avoid headaches later. Our process begins with a consultation to assess your puppy's needs and developmental stage. This step ensures we provide tailored guidance and support, making the journey smooth and enjoyable for both you and your puppy.

There is a lot of outdated information about raising puppies in books, on websites, and even from some trainers. Starting right away, Kind Animal Services can give you accurate and specific instructions for raising your puppy. Our program covers essential areas such as socialization, house training, and basic manners. We teach your puppy important skills like interacting with other dogs and people, recognizing boundaries at home, and responding to simple instructions. By providing relevant guidance, we aim to equip you and your puppy with the tools needed for a happy, harmonious life together.

The truth is, every puppy is unique, and you have to keep in mind that just because they are malleable due to age doesn't mean they are a clean slate for you to program exactly how you want. We also work with the puppy to determine where they are on their developmental journey and which procedures will be best for their unique personality. For instance, if we have a more timid puppy, we might focus on slowly building confidence through positive reinforcement and gradually increasing social exposure. Conversely, for a more outgoing puppy, we might emphasize structured boundaries and focus on channeling their energy into constructive activities. This tailored approach ensures that each puppy's individuality is respected and their specific needs are met.

Depending on your puppy's age and training goals, we may start with a virtual consultation, especially for young puppies new to you. The consultation lasts about 1 hour and is conducted through a video call. During this session, we discuss your puppy's eating, potty, play, and sleep routines, sleeping arrangements, and potty training.

Early learning for young puppies focuses on the environment and your responses to their behavior. Most training naturally occurs throughout the day and within the normal routine; this is why we recommend virtual sessions to give you the information you need to work with your puppy at home.

As your puppy gets older, or if you prefer consistency, we can start a series of 6-week courses. This is our most recommended service for puppy training, since your puppy will be changing and trying new behaviors. Meeting weekly helps you stay on top of these developmental changes. Throughout the 6-week course, we cover essential topics like basic manners, leash walking, socialization skills, and managing common behavioral issues. This curriculum ensures your puppy gains the skills for a well-behaved and happy life.

Should you desire more assistance during the puppy stages, we also offer Boarding School for puppies, day training, and Tutoring Sessions. Each service is tailored to different needs: Boarding School provides an immersive experience where your puppy stays with us for intensive training focused on foundational skills. Day training is perfect for those looking for regular sessions, where your puppy joins us for the day, so you can manage your schedule without missing out on professional training. Tutoring Sessions are personalized, one-on-one puppy-and-teacher lessons. These services will help you take a much-needed break from puppy duty and offer a generous jump-start in your puppy's learning.

Our philosophy is rooted in the relationship and trust between the pet parent and the puppy. This means doing as much as we can to support you, the guardian, in learning how to communicate, teach, and set your puppy up for long-term success within your unique lifestyle.

We rely heavily on positive reinforcement training when working with puppies. While this might seem like the obvious choice, there are real, science-based reasons behind our method choice, such as stress resilience, confidence building, problem-solving, and frustration tolerance.

Additionally, you might be surprised to learn that our puppy programs generally don't recommend using crates, taking your puppy for traditional leash walks, or teaching your puppy to sit. Now, there are always exceptions. Of course, there are cases where we might suggest using a crate for sleeping, for example. To learn more about what we would recommend for you and your puppy, sign up today.

The core of our program is teaching behavior skills that help the puppy learn to make good choices on their own, regulate their nervous system, and politely ask for what they need. We discourage the use of any aversive tools, corrections, micromanaging, or controlling obedience-type training for puppies as these methods don't teach a puppy but actually reduce the puppy's ability to learn effectively in the future.