Puppy Training Camp
For Housetrained Puppies 4-8 Months Old, Some Exceptions Apply
Training Camp is very similar to a kids' summer skills camp. If a kid goes to a basketball or swim camp for a week, she will practice all kinds of skills in many different ways. She will also get a few chances to put those skills to the test in real life situations like games or races. She gets to stay with friends and socialize and she gains independence staying away from home. Enrichment activities are added in throughout each day to help her learn to think and problem solve. She goes home with all of this information, but then it's up to her parents and her coaches to help her put it to best use with consistent review!
When your pup comes to camp, he is a part of mine and my dogs' every day schedule. He stays in a crate when I am gone. He plays and lounges with my dogs in the house and in the backyard. Twice a day, I train him on specific skills. Throughout the day, I work the skills into everyday life situations such as Leave It when I am loading the dishwasher and Wait when I am feeding the dogs. He gets absolutely no attention or reinforcement for jumping or mouthing!
Training skills I will teach and practice include sit, down, stay, come, wait, leave it, and loose-leash walking, depending on the progress of each individual dog. Each pup gets at least one field trip to a park, restaurant, or dog friendly store. You will get videos or pictures and a summary each day if desired. The loose leash walking section of training will depend on what the dog has learned so far, but will include trying on different equipment to find the best fit for each dog ie. no pull harness, head collar, etc.
Throughout the stay, absolutely no aversive training techniques will be used (NO shock or pinch collars. No hitting or yelling. No pain, no force, no fear). Force free training is all about rewarding good behavior, redirecting inappropriate behavior, and setting the dog up to succeed. Most of all, it’s about making training fun! If your dog loves training with you, she will become a well-mannered dog that you love to include in family activities.
Training Camp is not a substitute for training your pup at home. Rather, it is a huge head start for your dog so that once we bring you into the training, he is already well on his way. One complimentary in-home lesson is included as a follow up to Training Camp so that you can continue to extend his skills as he goes through the developmental stages from puppy to adolescent to adult.
The cost of Training Camp is $100/day, and the minimum for the first stay is 10 days. The 11th day is free if applicable. This is to ensure enough time for the basic skills to be introduced, practiced, and generalized. If the dog returns for Training Camp in the future, the minimum stay goes down to 5 days. Payment is due at the beginning of the stay in the form of check or cash.
