What is Puppy Kindergarten?

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Two Weeks | $1000

Puppy Orientation is not a training program — it is a carefully designed introduction to life.

This stage is focused on early development, emotional stability, and confidence during the most formative weeks of puppyhood. Rather than asking young puppies to perform or obey, we prioritize how they feel in the world. The goal is to give each puppy a calm, supported foundation that allows future training to unfold more naturally and with less stress.

This is where routine begins, trust is formed, and the transition into family life becomes softer and more intentional.

Puppy Orientation is thoughtfully suited for families who want more than a standard eight-week handoff. It is ideal for those who value a supported start, appreciate structure without pressure, and want their puppy to experience early routine, handling, and environmental exposure in a peaceful, consistent setting. It is also a natural on-ramp for families planning to continue into higher development levels.

Daily Rhythm & Emotional Regulation
We introduce puppies to predictable daily patterns — not as formal training, but as gentle patterning. Consistent potty opportunities, brief and positive crate exposure, and intentional rest periods help puppies begin to understand rhythm, downtime, and security within routine. This early structure reduces stress and supports smoother transitions later.

Confidence Through Thoughtful Exposure
Puppies are carefully introduced to the textures, sounds, and experiences of everyday home life. From new surfaces and household noises to common objects and varied human interaction, each exposure is paced to build adaptability without overwhelm. Over time, puppies become more resilient and less easily startled, while still maintaining the curiosity and playfulness appropriate for their age.

Handling & Cooperative Care Foundations
We gently condition comfort with touch and handling, laying the groundwork for easier grooming and veterinary care. Puppies experience calm handling of paws, ears, and body, light brushing, introduction to grooming tools, and age-appropriate blow dryer exposure. The emphasis is always on comfort, trust, and reduced stress — never force.

Early Manners Awareness
Rather than obedience cues, we shape early habits that support healthy interaction. Normal puppy behaviors such as mouthing and exuberant play are redirected appropriately, while calm engagement and quiet moments are positively reinforced. This creates a puppy who is emotionally ready to learn, not overstimulated or frustrated.

When a puppy completes Puppy Orientation, families often notice a puppy who feels more at ease within a home environment, is familiar with routine and rest, and is emotionally prepared to begin formal training.

This stage is not designed to produce a “finished” puppy. Families should not expect full potty training, reliable crate training, leash skills, or obedience commands. Puppy Orientation is intentionally development-first, allowing maturity and training to unfold at the right pace.

Puppy Orientation exists to strengthen everything that follows. By building confidence, emotional regulation, and comfort with daily life, puppies enter Foundation Training with greater clarity, stability, and readiness to learn.

This is not about doing more — it is about beginning well

Foundation Training (Foundational Obedience Training) 

Puppy Orientation + 2 weeks Foundational training $2950

Puppy Orientation + 4 weeks Foundational Training $3900
A smart beginning: your puppy learns how obedience works (not a finished dog)

Foundation Training is where things start to feel real—in the best way. This is the stage where your puppy begins to understand that you’re not just “the person who feeds me,” but the person they can look to, follow, and trust. It’s where the fog starts to lift and you get those little moments that make your heart squeeze: the first time they hear their name and turn to you, the first time they pause and think instead of launching into chaos, the first time they choose calm because they’ve been shown how.

This program is designed to give your puppy a clear, confident introduction to obedience and household structure—so when they come home, you’re not starting at zero. You’re meeting a puppy who already knows what it feels like to live inside a healthy rhythm. A puppy who has been guided. A puppy who is learning what “good” feels like.

And I want to be really honest in a reassuring way: the goal here isn’t a fully trained dog. Foundation Training isn’t about perfection. It’s about building the beginning of something solid—so your puppy understands expectations, has started practicing them consistently, and is prepared to keep growing fast.

What we’re really creating in this level is a foundation of communication.

Your puppy will be gently introduced to the core “language” of obedience—name recognition and attention, sit, down, early come, early wait/stay, and leave it. But what matters most isn’t just the cues themselves. It’s what the puppy learns through them: that listening leads to good things, that responding earns praise, that calm gets rewarded, and that you and your puppy can understand each other.

At the same time, we’re shaping the little home habits that make a puppy feel easier to live with—because those are the things families feel every day. That means we’re building better greeting patterns, helping reduce jumping before it becomes a default, guiding mouthing and chewing into healthy outlets, and teaching the puppy how to settle after excitement instead of staying “on” all the time. It’s not about shutting their personality down—these puppies are still happy, playful, and full of life—it’s about giving that energy a shape and a rhythm so it doesn’t run the house.

And then there’s routine—the part that quietly changes everything. Foundation Training supports the routines that make your puppy feel safe: crate comfort as a peaceful resting place, potty schedule reinforcement through timing and consistency, and the kind of predictable structure that helps puppies regulate their nervous system. When puppies know what comes next, they relax more. When they relax more, they learn faster. That’s why this level feels like such a turning point.

We also introduce leash foundations early—because the leash is one of those things that can become a daily frustration if you don’t start thoughtfully. We want your puppy to begin learning that the leash isn’t a battle. It’s a connection.

So what does this look like when your puppy comes home?

Most families tell us the same thing: their puppy feels more “reachable.” More responsive. Easier to redirect. Like there’s already a little connection built. You’ll notice they’re more familiar with structure, more comfortable with routine, and already beginning to understand the basics of listening and learning. It’s not a finished dog—and we don’t pretend it is—but it’s a puppy with a real head start. The kind of head start that saves families weeks of confusion, frustration, and “what are we even doing?” energy.

Foundation Training is for the families who want to enjoy their puppy more… sooner. Who want to feel supported. Who want to start this relationship with clarity, not chaos. And when you choose this level, you’re not just paying for commands—you’re giving your puppy the gift of a strong beginning.

One small note, just so expectations stay healthy: puppies are still puppies, and learning continues after they go home. Skills here are introduced and building—not proofed everywhere yet. That reliability and real-life polish is what the higher levels are for. But the foundation? The part that makes everything else work? That’s what this program gives you.

Advanced Companion Training (12 weeks) — $8,500
Where good training turns into real-life reliability

Advanced Companion Training is the level where your dog starts to feel… steady. Not just “trained in a training setting,” but trustworthy in the moments that actually matter—the doorbell ringing, guests walking in, kids moving around the house, a walk where distractions exist, a new place that would normally make a dog forget everything they know.

This is the stage where owners stop saying, “He knows it… he just doesn’t always do it,” and start feeling the shift to, “Wow. He’s listening.”

Because the truth is, obedience isn’t really obedience until it holds up in real life.

Twelve weeks gives us the time to take the skills your puppy already understands and strengthen them until they become habits. This is where we polish the edges, build consistency, and teach your dog how to stay connected to their handler—even when the world is interesting.

In Advanced Companion Training, cues like sit, down, stay/wait, come, and leave it aren’t just practiced—they’re reinforced through repetition, routine, and gentle proofing. We begin asking for the same skills in more places, with more distractions, with more everyday “life” happening. Not because we want a robotic dog—but because we want a dog who can still choose you when something exciting is happening.

This level is also where “calm” becomes a skill, not just a mood.

We focus deeply on your dog’s ability to settle and hold composure inside the home. That looks like learning how to stay grounded when the door opens, when people move through the space, when the household is active. It looks like practicing place/settle in real moments—during meals, while someone is at the door, when the energy rises—and teaching the dog, “You don’t have to match the chaos. You can relax through it.”

Leash manners become dramatically more enjoyable in this stage. We work on building a dog who doesn’t drag you into stimulation, doesn’t spiral into overexcitement the moment they step outside, and doesn’t live at the end of the leash. Instead, we strengthen engagement, calmer pacing, check-ins, and the kind of walking habits that make you feel like you can actually take your dog out and enjoy it.

We also continue building social and environmental stability—because the best family dogs aren’t the ones who greet everything. They’re the ones who can be neutral. Comfortable. Composed. The kind of dog who can be around people, other dogs, new environments, and normal life without needing to turn it into a party or a problem.

And one of the quiet but powerful benefits of this level is cooperative care. Dogs who can be brushed, handled, groomed, and examined without stress are easier dogs to live with for the next ten-plus years. We keep building tolerance, calmness, and comfort with touch so routine care doesn’t become a struggle.

So what should you expect when your puppy comes home from Advanced Companion Training?

You’ll notice a dog who feels more “adult” in their mind. More responsive. More consistent. More emotionally regulated. A dog who can settle more easily, who is more dependable with their cues, who walks with more manners, and who can handle new experiences without unraveling.

You still have a living, growing dog with personality—playful, affectionate, joyful—but with a stronger foundation underneath it. Less impulsive. Less chaotic. More connected.

This program is for families who want more than a head start. It’s for families who want reliability. The kind of training that shows up in the daily moments that define life with a dog—the moments where you want to feel proud, relieved, and genuinely at ease.

A small clarity note, kept simple: growth continues after placement, and every dog benefits from maintenance and consistency at home. What this level gives you is a dog who has practiced enough—in enough real situations—that training is no longer just something they “know.” It becomes something they live.

Finished Companion (16 weeks) — $10,500
The “you can feel the difference” dog — polished, steady, and truly easy to live with

Finished Companion is the level where everything comes together. It’s not just that your dog knows commands—it’s that your dog carries themselves differently. They feel calmer in their body. More settled in the home. More connected to their handler. More dependable in the moments that used to feel unpredictable.

This is the program for families who want the experience of a dog that fits into life with ease. The kind of dog you don’t have to constantly manage. The kind of dog you can trust to understand the rhythm of a household—and follow it.

Because here’s what most people don’t realize until they’ve lived it: the difference between a “trained dog” and a “finished companion” is consistency. It’s emotional regulation. It’s the dog choosing the right behavior without you needing to ask five times. It’s the dog who can handle life without becoming the center of the storm.

Sixteen weeks gives us what time always gives in training: depth. Repetition. Proofing. Maturity. And the ability to turn skills into habits so they feel natural—like this is just who your dog is.

At this level, obedience becomes more reliable and more usable across real-life situations. Sit, down, stay/wait, come, leave it—these aren’t just “pretty in the living room.” They’re practiced until they’re familiar in new environments, with everyday distractions, and during normal life moments. Your dog learns that listening isn’t optional based on mood—it’s the default.

But the biggest transformation most families notice isn’t even the obedience. It’s the lifestyle.

Finished Companion dogs are taught to settle and hold composure in the home. They learn how to relax while the household moves around them, how to handle door activity without spiraling, how to stay grounded when guests arrive, and how to exist calmly without needing constant input. This is where place/settle becomes a true lifestyle skill—something that brings peace into the home, not just structure on paper.

Leash manners are also taken to a higher level here. Walks become genuinely enjoyable. Not perfect robot-heeling, but a dog who understands how to move with you rather than against you—better pacing, better attention, calmer decisions, and the ability to pass normal distractions without turning every moment into a negotiation.

This level also includes deeper real-world polish: neutral behavior around people and dogs, stronger impulse control, continued cooperative care, and the kind of handling comfort that makes grooming and vet visits feel simple instead of stressful. It’s the full picture: manners, obedience, emotional stability, and daily-life ease.

So what should you expect when your dog comes home from Finished Companion?

You can expect a dog who feels more “ready.” Ready to be in your home without constant correction. Ready to settle into your routine. Ready to be a companion—not a project. You’ll notice more calm, more responsiveness, and more consistency. The dog feels easier because they’ve had the time and training to become easier.

You’re still bringing home a living dog with personality—affectionate, playful, bonded—but now there’s a steadiness underneath it. The kind of steadiness that changes your day-to-day life and makes owning a dog feel like what you pictured: comforting, joyful, and smooth.

Finished Companion is for the family who doesn’t just want training—they want peace. They want confidence. They want to know their dog is prepared for real life. And they want to skip the long season of “we’ll get there eventually” and instead bring home a dog who already has the habits and maturity that most dogs take a year or more to develop.

A simple note, kept gentle: every dog benefits from consistent follow-through at home to maintain what they’ve learned. The difference is, at this level, you aren’t building the foundation—you’re protecting it. You’re maintaining something that’s already beautifully in place.

Turnkey Graduate Placement — $15,000 + puppy price
The full-service, white-glove experience: your dog arrives ready, life included

Turnkey Graduate Placement is for the family who wants the joy of a dog—without the heavy season that usually comes before it.

It’s for people whose hearts want companionship, but whose lives are already full. People who don’t have the bandwidth for the puppy stage, the constant training decisions, the revolving door of vet appointments, the chewing, the accidents, the schedule juggling, and the months of “we’re working on it.”

Turnkey is the “we did it all” option. Not just training—completion. Not just progress—readiness. The goal is simple: your dog arrives already living the life you want them to live.

By the time a dog reaches Turnkey Graduate Placement, they’ve had the time, repetition, maturity, and proofing that creates true reliability. They’ve practiced the rhythms of daily life long enough that it’s not a performance—it’s a habit. They know how to settle. They know how to listen. They know what’s expected in a home. And they’ve been guided through the season that most families find the most exhausting.

And because this is a placement program—not just a training program—you’re not left to “figure it out” once your dog arrives. Turnkey includes a true transition experience. We don’t just deliver a dog. We place a graduate.

Your dog arrives with the lifestyle pieces already built in—the things that quietly make the biggest difference:

• A dog who understands home rhythm and can relax through normal life
   
• Reliable household manners and obedience
   
• Calm, composed behavior in real environments
   
• Comfort with handling, grooming, and everyday care
   
• A dog who is fully current on vaccines
   
• A dog who is spayed or neutered prior to placement
   

So instead of bringing home a puppy and hoping it goes smoothly, you’re bringing home a dog that’s already prepared. You get to focus on bonding, settling in, and enjoying the companionship—without the “survival stage.”

Your dog is delivered by a trainer (fly/drive), and you receive an in-home session designed to make the first days feel easy and confident. We walk you through the routines that protect the training, help your dog settle into your specific environment, and give you clear guidance that makes you feel supported—not overwhelmed.

Most families describe Turnkey like this:
“It felt like they arrived and just… belonged.”

And that’s the point.

Turnkey Graduate Placement is ideal if you want the companionship of a dog with the ease of a prepared transition—where the work has been done, the habits are established, and you can step straight into the life you imagined from the beginning. 

Even with a fully trained, fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered Turnkey Graduate, there is still what we call a transition period—and that’s completely normal.

A transition period is simply the time it takes for your dog to move from our environment and routine into your environment and routine and feel fully settled. Training doesn’t disappear, but your dog is adjusting to new smells, new people, new rules, a new layout, new sounds, and a new daily rhythm. That’s a lot—even for a very well-prepared dog.

Think of it like moving into a new home yourself. You still know how to “adult,” but you’re a little off for a few days while everything becomes familiar. Dogs are the same.

During this transition, you may see small, temporary changes like:

• A dog who needs a few days to fully relax and decompress
   
• Mild confusion around potty location (especially in a new yard/route)
   
• Testing boundaries a bit as they learn “how things work here”
   
• Extra attachment or following you room-to-room at first
   
• A little less response speed in brand-new situations (not stubborn—just adjusting)
   

None of this means the training isn’t there. It simply means your dog is processing a big life change—and learning how to apply their training inside your world.