Dogs Best Friend!

puppy programs

puppy’s best start program – a drop-off day training program for little ones

watch puppy’s best start in action

HI FRIENDS, WE ARE RETIRING AS OF DECEMBER 16, 2022.

THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS OF BUSINESS. WE HAVE ADORED EVERY FURRY PAW, WET NOSE, SLOPPY KISS.

LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR PUPS.

PLEASE SEE OUR RESOURCES PAGE FOR TRAINER REFERRALS.

REGISTRATION CURRENTLY CLOSED.

for puppies 8-16 weeks of age at start date

the first few months of your puppy’s life are by far the most important. what the puppy experiences, and how he is treated can determine the kind of dog he will eventually become.

most of the adult dog issues dbf is hired to help with – fear, aggression, reactivity to other dogs, troubles walking, barking, fear of kids, anxiety at the vet’s office, etc. could have been prevented altogether if the dog had only been given the proper, positive foundation.

in this program, all training is done by rebecca mandell, owner of dbf, using only force-free, positive reinforcement training.

we take a maximum of two puppies at any given time, so each pup receives the special attention and training they need to truly create the proper foundation to help them grow up to be well-behaved, confident, and loving adult dogs (we generally have 2-3 well adjusted adult “advanced students” with us each day, to help teach the puppies how to be with adults).

so how does this work?

what your puppy’s day will look like

each puppy’s day will be filled with paws-on learning, socialization*, and enrichment**, divided in to:

    • training time to teach skills: sit, down, stay, off, come when called, leave it, drop it, go to your spot, walking nicely on leash, and whatever else the puppy’s family deems necessary for their home.
    • socialization sessions to teach the puppy how to safely and properly interact with other puppies, and focused sessions with chester, our adult golden retriever, who has a gentle, but effective, way of teaching puppies how to appropriately and safely interact with other dogs.
    • enrichment time to positively acclimate the puppy to surfaces, touch, odors, textures, all the things that the puppy will interact with in their life.
    • relaxation and quiet time to teach puppies to settle in their exercise pens/crates, feel safe when they are on their own, and rest between activities, which is so very important to the puppy’s over all health and well being.

during the above mentioned sessions, we will also work on potty training, teaching puppies to play with humans calmly/nicely, and guiding them through that all important (and painful) puppy nipping phase.

will your puppy take what he learned at dbf, and be able to duplicate it at home?

yes! but daily practice by the family is of utmost importance. raising a puppy takes team work, and we are only one element of your puppy raising team.

every day we will send you videos, showing exactly what we did, so you know what, and how to practice at home.

remember, practice makes pawfect!

in order to give each puppy the adequate individual time they deserve, we limit the number of puppies in our puppy’s best start program. therefore, space is extremely limited. PAYMENT IN FULL, ALONG WITH A COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM is mandatory in order to save your pup’s spot in the “pbs” program. we do not take verbal reservations. please contact us in advance (6-8 weeks) if you would like to lock up a spot for your little one.

puppy’s best start training time: half day, wednesday – friday (3 days per week)

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

we offer three different options, depending on your puppy’s needs

cost:

$2850, 5-week (15 days) program – all training is done at dbf (per vet vaccination protocol)

$3950, 8-week program (24 days) – all training is done at dbf (per vet vaccination protocol). one field trip per week is included once pup receives appropriate vaccinations

$5650, 12-week program (36 days) – since puppy grows into adolescence with us, they begin taking regular field trips, two-three per week

sold out. registration closed. (puppy must be under 8-16 weeks of age at start date. all others based on approval by dbf)

~our mandatory veterinary health form is required, and will be provided at time of enrollment.

*what is socialization? the process of introducing a puppy to the world in a way that will help him be confident and unafraid of people, places and things that he will encounter throughout his life. (ppg, 2015) watch a socialization session at work.

**what is enrichment? the principle that seeks to enhance the quality of a puppy’s care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being. (shepherdson, 1998) watch an enrichment session at work.

puppy preparation consultation – remotely

are you expecting a puppy? in this 90 minute session, we’ll walk you through the steps that need to be taken before your puppy comes home and what you can expect. we’ll help you prepare your home, including a protocol for crate training, a puppy shopping list, how to handle puppy’s first night at home and much more.

cost:

$200 – must be paid at time of booking. dbf’s 24 hour cancellation policy applies

sold out – not taking new clients at this time

what to expect when you’re expecting…a puppy!

webinar on demand

presented by rebecca mandell, dog’s best friend, what to expect when you’re expecting…a puppy! was created for anyone planning on or considering taking the leap into puppy parenthood.

in this 2-hour webinar on demand, we will discuss not only the joys of being a puppy parent, but the extreme challenges that bringing a fluff ball into your home can bring.

items we will cover:

-finding a breeder/rescue group
-cost of raising a puppy/dog
-the importance of proper early life socialization
-potty training
-surviving puppy nipping
-raising a happy, well-adjusted adult dog

$30 – buy now