Puppy
Development w/ Kate the Puppy Coach

FOR DOGS 8-20 WEEKS OLD

Hi!  I’m Kate the Puppy Coach!

So you got this cute, fuzzy little stinker!  Now what?!  What’s the family game plan for raising this new little one?   Have you thought about routine & schedule, nutrition, exercise, and personality development?  Are you ready with an action plan on how to crate and potty train your puppy?  Does everyone in the family understand how to manage unwanted behaviors?  Those early stages of your puppy’s life are BY FAR the MOST IMPORTANT.  Do you need guidance on how to navigate those first few months?  I’ve got your back!

The goal of this program is to aid in the development of your puppy’s brain and personality.  During this process we’re going to teach you three important things:

1. How to prevent anxiety, fear and insecurity from developing (or getting worse if you’re already seeing signs)
2. How to prevent aggression from developing (or getting worse if you’re already seeing signs)
3. How to build confidence through proper socialization and feedback

Ideally, we want to start your puppy in our Puppy Development program at Happy Tails before your dog is 12 weeks old… but definitely before they are 5 months old.  Once they are past the early puppy stage, they are ready for formal training.

Sadly, as dogs grow up, far too many of them end up in shelters, or worse, euthanized every year due to behavior problems that you didn’t know how to control or manage – and most importantly, how to prevent!   Getting off to a great start at a young age is essential to ensure your puppy doesn’t end up becoming a statistic. By understanding how puppies learn and how to communicate with proper praise and motivation, you can stop bad behaviors from even developing.

Our goal with the Puppy Development program is to ensure puppy owners have the basic knowledge of how young dogs learn behaviors and to understand basic handling skills of your new pup. By learning proper communication between you and your puppy, as well as what is required for you as their leader, all will be on the right path to an enjoyable life with your well-balanced dog.

Ready to get started?  

Call Happy Tails and schedule your puppy orientation 586-580-3684

The Puppy Development Program Includes:

• Online puppy portal that includes a TON of information on how to set you up for success  (including more than 11 hours of instructional videos)
• Weekly Zoom support with Kate the Puppy Coach .  She’ll answer your questions each week, coach you through issues you’re experiencing and deep dive into puppy development topics with you!
• Local Residents:  Three (3) in-person classes at Happy Tails to do hands-on work with Kate (each ~2 hours).
  • 1st Class:  Dog, human and object socialization and confidence building exercises.
  • 2nd Class:  Transitional Leash introduction and instruction on how to use it to manage and control your puppy in high-stress or high-energy environments.
  • 3rd Class:  Health & fitness!

After you complete your puppy development courses, you’re pup will be ready for formal training (private lessons or a resident training program).  You’ll make a game plan with your trainer as to what is best for you!