Got a new puppy? Struggling with what to do? Positive reward-based puppy training designed to build confidence, good manners, and a lifelong bond between you and your puppy. Small classes, taught by an experienced educator who specializes in puppies, serving the Thornton area.
Puppies are not being difficult on purpose. They are only weeks into a world they do not understand yet. Every one of these is normal, and every one of these is teachable. Housetraining and potty training: a schedule your puppy can actually follow, and a plan for the accidents while you get there. Crate training: help your puppy learn to love the crate as a safe, cozy place to rest. Jumping on people: four paws on the floor when guests arrive, taught calmly, as a habit your puppy is happy to keep. Biting, nipping and mouthing: sharp puppy teeth are completely normal. We will show you how to teach gentle manners. Chewing: puppies need to chew; we will show you how to guide it onto the right things. And barking. Barking is your dog's way of communicating. Rather than simply trying to stop the barking, we first identify what your dog is trying to say, whether they're seeking attention, reacting to something in the environment, feeling bored, or experiencing worry. Once we understand the cause, we teach a more appropriate way to communicate and consistently reward those calm, desirable behaviors.
Hi! I'm Barbara. I'm an experienced educator who has chosen to specialize in puppy training. I spent my career teaching people, and that is still what I do best. Puppies learn quickly. My real job is making sure you feel confident practicing at home, all week long. That is why classes stay small. You get answers about your puppy and your home, every single week.
Puppy Kindergarten is the five-week class. Our curriculum focuses on the everyday skills that help puppies become enjoyable companions at home and in the community. Through fun, engaging lessons, you'll teach your puppy good manners while learning practical training techniques you can use for years to come. Our goal isn't simply to teach your puppy a few commands. We want to give you the knowledge and practical skills to continue training throughout your dog's life. By the end of five weeks you'll be working on name recognition, sit, stay, down, loose leash walking, no jumping, recall (the skill that keeps a dog safe for life), confidence around new experiences, place, wait, leave it, and drop it. We work outdoors, in a park, in a small group. Each week builds on the last, and you leave with something specific to practice, just a few focused minutes a day.
Everything here is positive and reward-based. Your puppy learns because good choices lead to good things. Treats, play, your happy voice. You won't see prong collars, choke chains or e-collars in these classes. Puppies do their best learning when they feel safe.
Pricing is simple and up front. Puppy Kindergarten is two hundred twenty-five dollars for the full five-week course with the ten percent Grand Opening discount. Full price is two hundred fifty. Payment is due before your first class, collected online through PocketSuite during registration. Bring a flat collar or harness, a six-foot leash, and small soft treats your puppy loves. That is everything. There is nothing to buy from us.
Barbara has been a teacher all her life, and still is. She spent her career in classrooms, and the best part was never the subject. It was watching someone understand something they couldn't do the day before. That moment when it finally clicks. She built her career around helping people reach those moments, and brings that same passion to every puppy class. She is a Fear Free Certified Professional, completed the certificate course Puppy Kindergarten for the Real World with the Association for Professional Dog Training International, and is an APDT International member.
Puppies of all ages are welcome. Classes are held outdoors in the Thornton area. The exact location is confirmed when you register. Signing up is simple: register online, select your class, pick a time, and set up your PocketSuite account, where you upload your puppy's vaccination record and manage your pet's information and scheduling anytime. Classes are kept deliberately small, so places are limited, and payment is made online before class starts. Questions? Call seven two zero, four six six, three eight zero nine. You'll reach Barbara herself, no queue and no call center. Or email hello at sit and stay academy dot com.