Basic Training

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Puppy Training Academy

Our puppy training academy is designed for puppies from 6-12 weeks of age. 

We offer around 250 hours of professional training, including puppy training classes in Northwest Indiana and puppy training classes in Columbus Indiana. This program teaches puppies during their most important phase and lays the groundwork for our more advanced programs.

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House Training Goals

  • Crate trained: Be crated 4-5 hours at night without having an accident.

  • Potty trained: Be able to hold restroom for 1 hour during the day.

  • Chew trained: Understand the word “no” when chewing something they shouldn’t.

  • Bite trained: Understand the word “no” when play biting too hard.

  • Jump trained: Begin to understand the word “off” when they jump up.

Socialization Training Goals

  • Stranger Trained– acclimated to being picked up and handled by various people that work with us. Since pup is not yet inoculated they still won’t leave our facilities but will experience ongoing socialization with all employees and visitors.

  • Child Trained– all pups will be introduced to my young daughter, clients’ children and our niece and nephews.

  • Cat Trained– since they are not inoculated we limit exposure to other animals…even our cat.

  • Vet Trained– able to be picked up and taken into vet without incident.

  • Noise Trained– accustomed to a television at regular levels. Still may have some issues with blow dryer and very loud new sounds.

  • Grooming Trained– to be comfortable and calm while being bathed, ears cleaned and dried. Still may have some issues with blow dryer and many pups have issues with nail clippings. They experience nail trimming and baths often, which helps reduce anxiety over time and repeated exposure.

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Outside Training Goals

  • Leash Trained– to walk on the left side with limited distraction and pull. To begin to “auto-sit.”

  • Car Trained– to take a ride without having any potty accidents for a duration of 2-3 hours.

  • Spot Trained– to consistently eliminate in a specified area on river rock.

  • Thunderstorm Trained– to never have any issues with thunderstorms whatsoever.

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Illustration of a stylized yellow paw print with four toe pads and a larger pad at the bottom.

Obedience Training Goals

  • “Sit“- obey sit verbally and with a combination of verbal & hand commands.

  • “Stay” – stay from a distance of 5 feet for a duration of 5 seconds.

  • “Down“- obey down with a combination of verbal & hand commands.

  • “Come“- to come with a high-pitched peppy voice from short distances.

  • “Off“- to understand that “off” means to not jump up.

  • “Down/Stay“- to hold a “down” position from a distance of 5 feet for a duration of 5 seconds.

  • Stair Trained– to be able to slowly make it up and down stairs.

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Click below to learn about our Training Programs