Do you feel overwhelmed trying to “do puppyhood right”—socialize safely, prevent bad habits, and build a confident puppy without turning it into constant obedience drills? Many puppy owners either avoid exposure completely or let puppies play nonstop, and neither approach teaches real-life skills. This program is designed to help your puppy build confidence, healthy social skills, and strong engagement with you from the start.
Puppy Foundations: Life Skills, Socialization, and Engagement is a five-week small group program that combines structured socialization, confidence-building exploration, and simple training games. Puppies will practice safe interactions, learn to switch attention from play back to their handler, and build early skills that carry into everyday life.
About the course:
- Number of puppies in a group: max 5
- Duration of the course: 5 weeks
- Duration of a class: 1h
- When: Saturdays in the early afternoon
- Where: fenced outdoor area in Serra Mesa
- Age of dogs: 12 weeks – up to 6 months old
- Breed: any breed is welcome
- Training approach: positive reinforcement, no aversive tools
- Price: $200
What this program includes:
1. Structured puppy play with guided interruptions to build engagement and calm recovery.
2. Confidence-building socialization through exploring textures, objects, and novel “life” experiences
3. Early focus and attention skills (voluntary check-ins and responding to the handler)
4. Recall foundations introduced gradually, with the goal of calling puppies out of play by the end of the program
5. Practical owner education: how to recognize healthy play vs. overstimulation and how to support your puppy’s emotional development
When do we begin? Enrollment is open.
The next round begins on March 21st. If you’d like to be considered for the next session, fill out the form and I’ll reach out with details.
Vaccination Requirements
Puppies must be at least 12 weeks old and current on age-appropriate vaccinations to participate. A minimum of two rounds of DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis/Adenovirus, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza) and a Bordetella vaccine are required. Puppies should be healthy and cleared by their veterinarian for participation in a group environment.
Other: If you have any other questions, let us know, we are happy to clarify all steps of the program. Email us to grettasdogtraining@gmail.com or send a text to (872) 985 3830