Course curriculum

  • 1

    WELCOME!

    • WELCOME to the PUPPY PROGRAM!
  • 2

    Knowing and living with your puppy

    • Introduction: Knowing and living with your puppy

    • Developmental Stages of your puppy

    • Who is your puppy? Breeds and Genetics

    • Puppy schedule and routine

    • Nighttime and Sleep

    • How puppies learn

    • What is motivating your puppy

    • Enrichment - what is it? And why does my puppy need it?

    • Puppy toys

    • Kids and Dogs
  • 3

    Training Resources and Troubleshooting

    • Introduction: Training resources and Troubleshooting your training

    • Training plans (all exercises)

    • Training steps for training any new behavior

    • TRAINING TRACKER

    • HELP - My puppy is too distracted and won't focus on training

    • HELP - My puppy doesn't listen or makes mistakes during a training session
  • 4

    Common puppy challenges - help and prevention

    • Chapter introduction

    • What is management?

    • Potty Training

    • Chewing

    • Puppy biting and nipping

    • Crate Training

    • Home alone training (preventing separation anxiety)

    • Preventing jumping up

    • Preventing digging

    • Preventing countersurfing
  • 5

    WEEK 1

    • Week 1 Introduction

    • Communication with your puppy: teaching a reward marker - Introduction

    • Communication with your puppy: teaching a reward marker - Step by Step

    • Marker Timing - Practice

    • Exercise: Eye contact (attention)

    • Exercise: Treat Magnet (Moving your puppy easily)

    • Exercise: Name game (Teaching your puppy her name)

    • Sozialization: Foundation

    • Socialization: Learn to read your puppy's body language and recognize subtle signs of stress and discomfort

    • Socialization: If your puppy is not vaccinated yet

    • Field Trip: To the neighborhood

    • Enrichment: Cardboard boxes
  • 6

    WEEK 2

    • Week 2: Introduction

    • Socialization: To dogs

    • Exercise: Attention with distraction (leave it)

    • Exercise: Name game - Adding distractions

    • Exercise: Sit - Introduction using a food lure

    • Exercise: Release cue

    • Exercise: Hand touch - Introduction

    • Field trip: To the pet store

    • Enrichment: Playing games with cups
  • 7

    WEEK 3

    • Chapter Introduction

    • Socialization: To people

    • Exercise: Hand touch - introducing a verbal cue

    • Exercise: Leave it - introducing a verbal cue and practicing with different objects

    • Exercise: Sit - remove the lure and reduce your hand movement

    • Exercise: Down - Introduction

    • Rewarding good choices: Settle

    • Field Trip: To the park

    • Enrichment: Trash bag
  • 8

    WEEK 4

    • Chapter introduction

    • Socialization: To surfaces

    • Socializtion: To outdoor surfaces

    • Exercise: Leave it (with treats on floor)

    • Exercise: Hand touch - with more distance between you and your puppy

    • Exercise: Playing the name game - in the face of distractions

    • Rewarding good choices: Settle while you're preparing dinner

    • Field Trip: Coffee shop

    • Enrichment: muffin tin
  • 9

    WEEK 5

    • Week 5: Introduction

    • Socialization - to sounds

    • Exercise: Leash Walking - Introduction

    • Exercise: Come when called - Introduction and Training Rules for Success

    • Rewarding good choices: auto- check ins on walks

    • Field trip: To a restaurant

    • Enrichment: Burrito
  • 10

    WEEK 6

    • Week 6: Introduction

    • Socialization: car rides

    • Exercise: Leash walking - Collar holds and leash clips

    • Exercise: Come when called - practice from out of sight

    • Field trip: To the hardware store (or garden centre)

    • Enrichment: Frozen goodies
  • 11

    WEEK 7

    • Socialization: To body handling

    • Exercise: Come when called - Ping Pong

    • Stay vs wait

    • Exercise: wait and release

    • Exercise: Introduction to stay

    • Field trip: To a dog park (without letting your puppy meet other dogs!)

    • Enrichment: Playing tug with your puppy - building a great relationship

    • Enrichment: Find it
  • 12

    WEEK 8

    • Socialization: To moving objects

    • Exercise: Leash walking - Sniff and go

    • Exercise: Come when called - Surprise your puppy

    • Real life practice: Sit or Down - Preventing door dashing

    • Introducing your puppy to water

    • Field Trip: To water

    • Enrichment: DIY ideas