Puppy Kindergarten

Training, socialization, and play for puppies

Puppy Kindergarten combines socialization, positive training, and play! This class covers training in foundation skills (including coming when called, loose-leash walking, wait/stay, leave it, attention, drop it, and settling), appropriate socialization to novel situations, dealing with typical puppy challenges, best practices to foster desirable behaviors, and opportunities for supervised play with other puppies.

You don’t have to wait until all your puppy’s vaccinations are complete!  Puppy socialization is age sensitive and research has shown that appropriate training and positive experiences during a puppy’s sensitive socialization period (up to 12 weeks of age) can greatly reduce the chance of fear or behavior problems later on. For more about this, please read the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s Position Statement on puppy socialization.

Age range: For puppies 8 to 18 weeks

Prerequisites: Please refer to our vaccination information page. 

Class length: 6 consecutive weeks (not including holidays). 75 minutes each. Make-up classes are not possible.

Fee: $210

Instructors:

  • Sarah Stoycos (Laughing Dog Academy)
  • Robin Shepherd (Infinite Dog)
  • Veronica Beman (Heart’s Content Dog Training)
  • Debbie Nathanson (Good Pets)

To Register:

Check the start dates below, then click the Register for Class button to sign up for a class that works for you.

Available Start Dates:

  • Monday 10:15 am – December 16
  • Monday 6:00 pm – December 16
  • Monday 7:30 pm – December 16
  • (FULL) Tuesday 5:15 pm – October 8
  • Wednesday 10:15 am – January 15
  • (FULL) Friday 10:30 am – October 18
  • (FULL) Sunday 9:30 am – October 20
  • (FULL) Sunday 9:30 am – December 8
  • Sunday 4:30 pm – December 15
  • Sunday 6:00 pm – December 15

Class fees help support the free programs and services provided by Your Dog’s Friend, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and supporting dog parents.

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