Program Outline

 

Lesson 1 – Training Fundamentals: Your Puppy’s 1st Steps to Success

We start by building a strong communication foundation and showing you how to train effectively. You’ll learn how puppies think, how to get their attention, and how to reinforce good behaviors.

What we cover

• How dogs learn and why it matters (Canine Learning Theory – loading the clicker)

• The three core teaching methods: Capture, Lure, and Shape

• Name recognition and focus skills

• Basic cues: Sit, Down, Stay

• Teaching your puppy to relax on a mat (stationing)

• Optional potty training guidance

Why it’s important

By the end of this lesson, you and your puppy will understand how to communicate clearly, setting the stage for all future training.

Lesson 2 – Leash Manners Outdoors: Mastering Walks Without the Pull

We move into real-world skills to make walks enjoyable and controlled. This session focuses on manners and attention outside, even around distractions.

What we cover

• Boundaries and waiting politely at doors

• Loose leash walking techniques

• Greeting people on a walk: Pin Pon Greetings – Go Say Hi or Stay to the Side Without Interacting

• Look At That (LAT) – a focus and impulse control game around distractions

Why it’s important

Your puppy will learn to walk without pulling, greet politely, and stay focused even in exciting environments.

Lesson 3 – Improving Communication: Calm, Focused, and Ready to Listen

We bring it all together with impulse control, recall, and ending cues that keep training clear and consistent.

What we cover

• Leave It & Drop It – ignoring or releasing items on cue

• Reliable recall – coming when called, even from a distance

• Go to Bed/Place – sending your dog to a spot and staying until released

• One fun trick (Spin, Paw, Rollover, or Play Dead)

• “All Done” cue – a clear end signal for training or playtime

Why it’s important

These skills give you better day-to-day control, help prevent problem behaviors, and teach your puppy how to settle calmly when needed.

Lesson 4 – Distance, Duration, Distractions: Mastering Reliability

We start by teaching you how to make cues hold up anywhere, anytime, no matter what’s going on around your dog.

What we cover

• Understanding the 3Ds: how Distance, Duration, and Distractions affect training progress

• Practicing Sit, Down, Focus in distracting situations
• Introduction to heel: heel position and taking your first steps with automatic sits
• Troubleshooting common focus and reliability issues

Why it’s important

This lesson gives you the skills to make your dog’s obedience consistent, whether you’re at home, in the park, or around busy streets.

Lesson 5 – Fine-Tuning Mobility: Precision Walking and Advanced Positioning

We refine your dog’s movement skills, making their walking and positioning sharp and reliable in more challenging situations.

What we cover

• Heel with additional steps, turns, pacing changes, and automatic focus

• Place with distance – sending your dog from farther away and maintaining position until released

• Settle/Tuck – calm positioning under or beside the handler in public spaces

Why it’s important

These skills make outings smoother and ensure your dog remains under control and composed in any environment.

Lesson 6 – Environmental Cues and Behavior Sequences: The Unlimited Possibilities

We teach your dog to respond to the world around them without waiting for a verbal command, creating automatic, helpful behaviors.

What we cover:

• Sit – when someone approaches

• Tuck/Settle – when the handler sits

• Go to Bed/Place – when the doorbell rings

• Pin Pon Greetings – Go Say Hi – after guests are settled

Why it’s important

Your dog will start responding automatically to everyday events, making life smoother and training more natural.

Lesson 7 – Real-World Proofing Day: Final Challenges for a Fully Trained Dog

We combine everything learned into a single, real-world test, challenging your dog to work reliably through distractions and transitions.

What we cover

• Reviewing greetings on a walk with real distractions

• Impulse control in motion – heeling past food, toys, or people without breaking position

• Long-distance stationing – sending your dog to

• Place from far away and holding until released

• Recall to Heel & one trick (Spin, Rollover, or Play Dead)

Why it’s important

This is the step where training becomes part of everyday life, giving you a dog that’s ready for anything.