There’s nothing like bringing home a new puppy. Those tiny paws, that wagging tail, and those adorable puppy eyes can melt anyone’s heart. Still, sooner or later, new dog owners will face puppy accidents, overwhelming situation,s and may ask themselves:
- Should I train my puppy?
- Is dog training needed?
- Can I raise a good dog?
The answer is YES! You should train your puppy & You can raise a good dog!
While a puppy’s joy is priceless, an untrained dog can cause a lot of damage and be the source of endless headaches. Behavioral issues like property damage, veterinary expenses, professional training fees, and potential legal liabilities can quickly add up.
Puppy training programs, like ours – outlined below, are designed to prevent costly accidents, reduce dangers and help you raise & train a well-adjusted, happy dog.
By training your puppy, you will benefit from more enjoyment & happy times with your new best friend.
Training Your Puppy Early Gives the Best Results
Professional Dog Trainers and experienced dog owners alike, will tell you, the early weeks and months are crucial for setting the foundation for a well-behaved, happy adult dog.
This is where early training comes in, and trainers everywhere agree: Training your pup is the best!
The Magic of Early Training
Shelly Haines, Certified Dog Trainer in South Austin, is a puppy training expert who knows…
When it comes to dog training, starting young isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential.
Puppies are like little sponges, soaking up information and experiences at an incredible rate. This makes them incredibly receptive to learning new behaviors and good habits.
We recommend starting at 8 weeks old, although dogs up to 2 years old can still learn from a puppy training program.
You will be amazed at what a difference training your dog early can make.
As one of our delighted customers, Sarah, puts it:
“We think that training puppy right from the beginning is the way to go and a major part of handler’s responsibility that comes with a dog. I say that Shelly excelled in helping us to establish and promote right behaviors from the day one, which resulted in an amazing dog, a true family member.”
Here’s why early training is so practical:
- Developing Good Habits: It’s much easier to instill good habits than correct bad ones later.
- Socialization: Early training provides crucial socialization opportunities, helping your puppy grow into a confident, well-adjusted adult dog.
- Bonding: Training sessions are a perfect time for you and your puppy to bond and build trust.
- Prevention of Behavioral Issues: Early, consistent training can prevent or minimize many common dog behavior problems.
Read Shelly’s Top 5 things to teach a puppy here
The Fetch Worthy Puppy Training Program
At Fetch Worthy Dog Training in South Austin, we understand the unique needs of puppies and their owners. That’s why we’ve developed our comprehensive In-home Puppy Training Program to give your new best friend the best start in life.
Fetch Worthy founder Shelly Haines has helped hundreds of families train new puppies and has become a puppy expert.
Key Features of Our Program:
- Positive Reinforcement: We use reward-based methods to make learning fun and effective for your puppy.
- Customized Approach: Every puppy is unique, and our program adapts to your pup’s individual needs and personality.
- Foundational Skills: We focus on essential skills like potty training, basic obedience, and socialization.
- Owner Education: We train puppies and teach you how to continue the training at home.
Things we focus on for Puppy Training
- Puppy Socialization
- Potty training
- Bonding
- Puppy biting
- Puppy chewing
- Crate training
- Barking
- Getting your puppy to listen to you
- Puppy jumping (on you, your furniture and guests)
- Teaching your puppy how to be calm
- Basic and advanced obedience commands
- No-pull leash and walk training
- Stopping doorway bolting
- Distraction training
- Preventing Separation anxiety
- Canine Good Citizen Training
- Excellent puppy family manners
- New and first-time puppy parent support!
What Sets Us Apart
- Early Start: We begin training as soon as puppies are ready, typically around 8-10 weeks old.
- Holistic Approach: Our program covers not just obedience, but also socialization, handling, and problem prevention.
- Ongoing Support: We’re here for you beyond the initial training period, offering guidance as your puppy grows.
- Personalized Training Homework: We create videos just for you to show you what to do with your pup and what to look for.
- Trainer comes to you: Our puppy program takes place in the convenience of your own home, plus we can also go out to public areas for even better puppy socialization.
As Sharon, another satisfied client, shares:
“Shelly Haines has worked wonders with our puppy. She helped with potty training and then onto sit, down, stay and loose leash walking. Her suggestions and training on all of these have been so insightful and helpful. Shelly has taught us how our puppy thinks in order to help him become the wonderful companion we want him to be. I highly recommend Shelly and her company, Fetch Worthy!”
Essential Training Elements
Based on our experience and dog training basics as outlined in our blog on puppy training, here are some key areas we focus on:
- Building a Strong Connection: We emphasize the importance of bonding with your puppy from day one.
- Proper Socialization: We guide you through safe, positive socialization experiences to help your puppy grow into a confident adult dog.
- Potty and Crate Training: These fundamental skills set the stage for a well-behaved dog and a clean home.
- Hand Targeting: This simple yet effective technique boosts your puppy’s confidence and serves as a foundation for more complex training.
- Recall Training: We start early on this crucial skill to ensure your puppy comes when called, even in distracting environments.
Puppy Training Session Details
Each program includes 50-60 minute sessions, focusing on:
- Socialization, handling, and grooming
- Basic obedience and leash walking
- Rocket Recall™ for reliable recall
- Crate and potty training
- Preventing behavioral issues like separation anxiety, jumping, and chewing
- Special skills, including retrieving, nose work, and public place training
- Advanced training for generalization and swimming
Beyond training sessions, you’ll receive:
- 1-month subscription on us to The Gentle Beast Training Video Guides with Professional Trainers in our Network
- Clicker, recall whistle, and puppy enrichment toy
- Detailed training handouts and personalized training videos
- Certificate of Completion and ongoing support
The Long-Term Benefits of Puppy Training
Investing in early training pays off in countless ways. As your puppy grows, you’ll notice:
- Fewer behavioral issues
- Easier vet visits and grooming sessions
- More enjoyable walks and outings
- A stronger bond between you and your dog
Lauren, whose Goldendoodle puppy graduated from our program, couldn’t agree more:
“Shelly has helped my family raise our puppy, Honey (a mini goldendoodle), from scratch! She has coached us through everything from crate training and puppy biting to greeting new people and walking on a leash. We are thankful that she stressed socialization and introduction of stimuli at such a young age with our pup. Aside from the helpful in-person training sessions, Shelly provides helpful resources to check out and follows-up on questions and concerns whenever we have them. Overall, Shelly is a very patient and understanding trainer that is very professional and fun to work with!”
Start Your Puppy’s Journey Today
Remember, those early weeks and months are precious and fleeting. Don’t miss out on this critical window for shaping your puppy’s future. With Fetch Worthy’s Puppy Training Program, you’re not just training a dog—you’re nurturing a lifelong companion.
Ready to give your puppy the best start in life? Contact Fetch Worthy today and let’s begin this exciting journey together. After all, as trainers everywhere agree: Training your pup is the best!