The #1 most important thing you need to understand
A puppy boot camp cannot grow your puppy up for you!
Nipping, potty training trouble, and attention-seeking behaviors (stealing things, jumping up, chewing, etc.) are age-specific, and also very tied to the human behavior and management in your home.
Because of this, we may recommend starting with private training, depending on your situation.
As with any type of obedience training (whether it’s through 1-1 sessions or group classes), the age and temperament of the puppy has to be taken into consideration in order to manage the expectations of families as well as what a puppy can accomplish during this period of time.
Puppy boot camps are an awesome headstart for puppy owners who understand what the program entails and are willing to be actively engaged with their puppy’s training upon return.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR
Age: 8 to 12 weeks
Trust us when we say that at this age, it’s unrealistic to expect a fully housebroken puppy after a few weeks at camp, so the housebreaking part of the boot camp should be viewed as a head start to your potty training, not a completed potty trained puppy.
After your puppy returns home, you should still expect to use a crate A LOT, but your puppy should have the concept of not eliminating in the crate. High-level management is critical to avoid accidents (and also prevents rehearsal of other behaviors you don’t want, such as nipping, jumping up, and playing ‘you can’t catch me’).
Age: 12 Weeks to 16 weeks
Basically, the expectations are the same as above, but we’re getting closer to four to five (5) hours of them being able to ‘hold it’. In addition, using the crate is still required, however you’ll use it a LITTLE less, as you continue high-level management to avoid accidents.
The form below is ONLY for our Intensive Board & Train and Puppy Bootcamp programs. If you are looking to inquire about our regular boarding services (available for current students only), please email Boarding@KathySanto.com for more information.
