Yes!!!  Being proactive, rather than reactive to this new adventure you are embarking on will make all of the difference when it comes to the amount of time, money, and sanity saved by starting off with proven techniques such as crates, exercise pens, enrichment toys and a well-managed environment that will allow your puppy to learn safely and quickly.  The developmental stage from 8-12 weeks is one of the most critical stages in your dog's life.  Inadvertently punishing your puppy, exposing them to too much, too quickly, or not understanding their basic needs will hurt your bond with your puppy.  This could create fears and habits that will be much harder to adjust later. Behavior that is practiced and reinforced will repeat, behavior is always happening and understanding your pups body language and for them to understand how to communicate with you, will SAVE so much work down the road!

 I can customize training packages or do individual sessions (in person or online) to best meet the needs of the client.  Please fill out the new client questionnaire and that will help me guide you in the right direction!  For new puppy owners (either first puppy or first puppy in a long time) I encourage you to sign up for the full course.   This will allow you to meet others (both online and in person) with puppies that are in the same age range.  Socialization with other dogs (and new human friends) will provide connection and support long after the course is complete!

I do!  I encourage clients to enroll in my Adolescent Adventures program when their pup is about 6 months old.  As is common with human teenagers, fluctations in hormones, sudden lack of focus/attention on the pet parent, inability to respond to cues that were once fluent in all environrments....while alarming and upsetting at times is completely NORMAL.  There isn't much out there in regards to helping people through this somewhat challenging developmental period.  This is also when the 2nd fear period occurs.  Being able to understand your dog's body language and the bond/communication between handler and pup becomes even more important.  Inadvertant mistakes during this time period could lead to challenging long lasting behavior issues.  I use game focused training to keep things fun and set everyone up for success!