The First Year: Where Everything Begins
The first year of a puppy’s life is more than “learning to behave.”
Chewing, barking, accidents, and zoomies aren’t disobedience; they’re signs of a young nervous system learning to cope with a big, unpredictable world, deciding how that dog will see the world for the rest of their life.
Every experience, every sound, touch, routine, and recovery, teaches your puppy what’s safe, what’s scary, and how to handle change.
When this stage is guided with understanding, you don’t just stop problem behaviours, you build the core of emotional stability that protects against reactivity, anxiety, and fear later on.
You shape a dog who can handle car rides, vet visits, visitors, travel, and life’s surprises with calm confidence.
That’s the work we do here.
My puppy programs aren’t obedience classes, they’re developmental support for growing brains.
We teach curiosity, recovery, and resilience, because a puppy who learns how to feel safe can learn anything else with ease.
There are two ways we can guide your puppy through this stage:
Coaching Programs — for families who want to be hands-on from the very beginning. You’ll learn how to train, observe, and respond in real time, supported by step-by-step guidance and feedback.
Day Training & Coaching Programs — for busy families who want a professional to lay the groundwork while they learn to keep it going. Your puppy trains directly with me during the week, so learning stays consistent, accurate, and mistake-free — even when life gets full.
Both paths build the same foundation: calm confidence, clear communication, and emotional balance — you simply choose how involved you want to be in the daily training.
Every family starts with a Behaviour Assessment before training, so we can truly understand your puppy and build the right plan together.
Not sure yet, or just want to meet me first to help you figure out the best next step, you’re welcome to book a free Meet & Fit video call
How old is your puppy?
Puppy Start
(for puppies 8-14 weeks old)
The first three months of life are when your puppy’s brain decides what’s safe, what’s scary, and how to recover from change. This short window, known as the critical socialization period, shapes how your dog will meet the world for the rest of their life. That’s why this program focuses on emotional and behavioural development, not obedience drills.
Coaching package
$1050
Duration: 8 weeks
For: New puppies 8–14 weeks old and guardians who want to learn how to train, guide, and build emotional balance together from the very beginning.
This program is ideal if you want hands-on coaching and the satisfaction of shaping your puppy’s skills yourself, with professional feedback every step of the way.
Program Structure
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1 × 60-minute Coaching Session per week – personalized guidance at home or outdoors.
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Video feedback & text support between sessions – for ongoing adjustments.
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Weekly 60-minute online Q&A drop-ins
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2 bonus On-Demand sessions available after program completione (to use within 1 month), for troubleshooting & follow-up support
Focus:
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Safe socialization to people: dogs, handling, sounds, and surfaces
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Resilience & recovery: learning to bounce back after mild stress (e.g., dropped objects, unfamiliar noises)
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Potty training through consistent feeding and outing schedules
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Crate & rest training, teaching calm alone-time and self-soothing
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Impulse control & Manners, door-dashing, jumping, biting
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Body-handling comfort
Why it works:
You’re not just following cues — you’re learning to speak your puppy’s language.
By training together, you become your dog’s safest reference point in new or stressful moments.
This shared learning builds emotional regulation, resilience, and confidence that obedience alone can’t create.
Day training & Coaching package
$1,550
Duration: 6 weeks
For: New puppies 8–14 weeks old and busy families who want a trainer to handle the early heavy lifting while still learning how to maintain success at home.This program is ideal if you want to build strong, consistent foundations from the start — with expert handling that keeps training clear, accurate, and free from common early mistakes, while you learn how to maintain that progress at home.
Program Structure:
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4 × 60-minute Day-Training sessions per week – trainer works directly with your puppy at home or outdoors.
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1 × 60-minute Coaching Session per week – you join, learn, and practice together.
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Weekly recaps and progress updates.
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Weekly 60-minute online Q&A drop-ins
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2 bonus On-Demand sessions available after program completion (to use within 1 month), for troubleshooting & follow-up support
Focus:
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Safe socialization to people, dogs, handling, sounds, and surfaces
-
Resilience & recovery — learning to bounce back after mild stress (e.g., dropped objects, unfamiliar noises)
-
Potty training through consistent feeding and outing schedules
-
Crate & rest training — teaching calm alone-time and self-soothing
-
Impulse control & Manners — door-dashing, jumping, biting
-
Body-handling comfort
Why it works:
When your trainer does the heavy lifting during the week, your puppy’s learning keeps moving forward — even when you’re busy with work, family, or life.
By the time you join your coaching session, your dog already understands the new skills and routines, so you can focus on learning how to apply them, not struggling through the first steps.
This structure helps both ends of the leash succeed:
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Your puppy builds consistent, high-quality practice with a professional.
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You see progress sooner — and feel confident keeping it going.
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Training feels lighter, calmer, and more achievable for everyone involved.
Coaching package
$1,050
Duration: 8 weeks
For: Puppies 15–21 weeks old and guardians who want to keep learning together as their dog’s world expands.
This program is ideal if you want hands-on coaching and the satisfaction of guiding your puppy through this next growth phase yourself, with professional support to help you stay consistent, read body language, and make every experience count.
Program Structure:
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1 × 60-minute Coaching session per week, guided hands-on work with you and your puppy
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Video feedback & text support between sessions, for ongoing adjustments.
-
Weekly 60-minute online Q&A drop-ins
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2 On-Demand sessions available after program completion (to use within 1 month), for troubleshooting new behaviours or refining skills
Focus:
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Identify and focus on the behaviours that matter most to your family — whether it’s calm walks, peaceful greetings, or smoother daily routines.
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Build your pup’s ability to stay regulated in the real world — to notice, think, and recover instead of reacting.
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Strengthen emotional balance and curiosity through positive exposure and structured novelty, so confidence grows naturally.
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Develop reliable communication and understanding between you and your puppy, learning when to guide, when to pause, and how to reconnect.
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Continue cooperative care and handling routines with trust, brushing, vet prep, grooming, and touch without conflict.
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Fill your everyday toolkit with practical, science-based strategies you can keep using as your puppy matures into adolescence and adulthood.
Why it works:
During this “juvenile” phase, your puppy’s brain is rapidly reorganizing. Consistent, low-pressure repetition builds frustration tolerance and emotional flexibility, preventing adolescent regression before it starts.
Day training & Coaching package
$1500
Duration: 6 weeks
For: Puppies 15–21 weeks old and families who want their growing puppy to keep learning with professional precision during this sensitive stage.
This program is also an excellent fit for puppies who missed parts of their early socialization window and need extra guidance to build confidence and adapt to the world calmly.
Your puppy practices with a trainer several times a week, while you learn how to maintain that progress and strengthen your partnership at home.
Program Structure:
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3 × 60-minute Day-Training sessions per week – indoor foundations + outdoor practice in safe real-world environments
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1 × 60-minute Coaching session per week – guided hands-on work with you and your puppy
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Weekly 60-minute online Q&A drop-ins – open group support and ongoing learning
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2 On-Demand sessions available after program completion (to use within 1 month), for troubleshooting new behaviours or refining skills
Focus:
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Identify and focus on the behaviours that matter most to your family, calm walks, peaceful greetings, or smoother daily routines.
-
Build your pup’s ability to stay regulated in the real world, to notice, think, and recover instead of reacting.
-
Strengthen emotional balance and curiosity through positive exposure and structured novelty, so confidence grows naturally.
-
Develop reliable communication and understanding between you and your puppy, knowing when to guide, when to pause, and how to reconnect.
-
Continue cooperative care and handling routines with trust, brushing, vet prep, grooming, and touch without conflict.
-
Fill your everyday toolkit with practical, science-based strategies you can keep using as your puppy matures into adolescence and adulthood.
Why it works:
At this stage, puppies are curious but easily overwhelmed.
When a trainer handles the core practice during the week, your puppy gets consistent, well-timed repetitions that build clarity and confidence — while you learn how to maintain progress without frustration or mixed signals.
This shared approach blends professional precision with family involvement, helping your puppy grow into a confident, emotionally balanced young dog.
Puppy Builder
(for puppies 15-23 weeks old)
Every puppy grows, and every growth stage brings new needs. Whether you’re continuing from early foundations or catching up after missed exposure, Puppy Builder adapts to meet your dog where they are. This program helps your pup grow calmer, more confident, and emotionally stable, while giving you the tools to guide them through change.
Adolescence Booster
(for puppies 24 - 28 weeks old)
Coaching package
$1,650
Duration: 16 weeks
For: Adolescent dogs (6–12 months) and guardians who want to rebuild calm, focus, and cooperation through hands-on learning and guided support.
This program is ideal for families who prefer to train directly with their dog each week — learning how to manage reactivity, impulsivity, and emotional ups and downs with professional feedback and a clear plan to follow at home.
Program Structure:
Phase 1 (weeks 1-8)
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1 × 60-min Transform session per week
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Ongoing messaging/video feedback
Phase 2 – Support & Troubleshooting (Weeks 9–16):
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8 Online Q&A sessions
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4 On-Demand troubleshooting sessions available after program completion (to use within 2 months after)
Focus:
• Re-establish calm focus and leash reliability in real-world environments
• Navigate the “second fear period” safely without reinforcing avoidance or panic
• Strengthen recall and recovery skills during high-arousal moments
• Support emotional balance through predictable routines and enrichment
• Maintain socialization and confidence during rapid hormonal and cognitive change.
Why it works:
Adolescence is when good habits either solidify or unravel — and your role becomes more important than ever.
Through consistent weekly coaching, real-time feedback, and structured follow-through, you’ll learn how to guide your dog through uncertainty without conflict or confusion.
By matching training to the adolescent brain’s need for low-pressure repetition and predictable routines, we turn instability into lasting self-control and trust.
Day training & Coaching package
$1,950
Duration: 16 weeks
For: Adolescent dogs (6–12 months) and families who want reliable progress and structure during this challenging developmental stage.
This program is ideal for busy households or guardians who want professional support to rebuild calm focus, confidence, and impulse control while avoiding the common mistakes that can set training back.
Your trainer does the foundational work during the week, ensuring consistency and precision, while you learn how to maintain those results at home with clear guidance and ongoing support.
Program Structure:
Phase 1 (weeks 1-4)
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3 × 60-min Day-Training sessions
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1 × 60-min Transform session per week
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Ongoing messaging/video feedback
Phase 2 (weeks 5–8):
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2 × 60-min Day-Training sessions
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1 × 60-min Transform session per week.
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Ongoing messaging/video feedback
Phase 3 – Support & Troubleshooting (Weeks 9–16):
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8 Online Q&A sessions
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4 On-Demand troubleshooting sessions available after program completion (to use within 2 months after)
Focus:
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Re-establish calm focus and leash reliability in real-world environments
-
Navigate the “second fear period” safely without reinforcing avoidance or panic
-
Strengthen recall and recovery skills during high-arousal moments
-
Support emotional balance through predictable routines and enrichment
-
Maintain socialization and confidence during rapid hormonal and cognitive change
Why it works: Adolescence is when good habits either solidify or unravel. By combining intensive trainer-led reset, gradual coaching, and long-term support, we match the way the adolescent brain actually learns, balancing independence with consistency.Research shows that distributed, low-pressure repetition during this phase creates emotional stability that lasts into adulthood.
Adolescence is not disobedience — it’s a developmental storm.
Between six and twelve months, your dog’s brain is rewiring, hormones are shifting, and confidence wavers between boldness and fear. The routines that used to work suddenly fall apart, and frustration can show up fast — for both of you. This program creates structure, clarity, and support through every stage of that transition. We reset habits, rebuild focus, and teach your adolescent dog how to regulate emotions in a world full of temptations and triggers.