Puppy Lifeskills PLUS Course

A personal start, ongoing support and practical lifeskills for your puppy’s journey.

Welcoming a puppy into your family is exciting, but it can also feel a little overwhelming. There is so much to think about, and just as you find your feet, your puppy’s needs begin to change!

My Puppy Lifeskills PLUS Course gives you personalised, one to one guidance through early puppyhood, helping you build strong foundations in preparation for adolescence.

Ideally, we begin soon after your puppy arrives home, usually at around eight weeks old.  But, if your puppy is already home, we can discuss their age and needs to decide whether this course is the right fit or whether another of my Right Start services would be more suitable.

We begin with a face to face session, followed by 4 x 30 minute Zoom check-in sessions spread throughout our time together. You will also have a dedicated WhatsApp group, so we can stay in touch between sessions, with daily contact if needed.

You don’t have to save every question for your next appointment. Whether you need help with a new challenge, feedback on a training video or reassurance that you are heading in the right direction, support is part of the course.

The Puppy Lifeskills PLUS course is about helping you understand your puppy, build a trusting relationship and support them as they learn about the world.

Alongside practical everyday skills, we will explore what your puppy’s behaviour is telling you, how to recognise when they need support and how to introduce new experiences at a pace they can comfortably manage.

My approach uses positive, reward based training, informed by current understanding of puppy development, behaviour and learning. Everything is tailored to your puppy and your family, with clear, practical guidance you can use in everyday life.

An initial face to face session
We begin by getting to know you and your puppy, discussing how things are going and identifying your priorities. This gives us the opportunity to work together in person and put some important foundations in place from the very start.

Four 30 minute Zoom check-in sessions
These sessions allow us to review progress, answer questions and adapt our focus as your puppy grows. Together, we will agree timings of these sessions that support your puppy’s development and your family’s needs.

Your own dedicated WhatsApp group
Share updates, ask questions and send videos so I can offer feedback between sessions. With daily contact if required throughout your course, we can keep working together as new situations arise.

Supporting resources
Learning videos, recordings of our Zoom sessions, notes and handouts tailored to your needs will help you put our discussions into practice and keep the whole family involved.

The course is shaped around your individual puppy and your family, but topics include:

• Settling into family life, including the first days and nights.

• Toilet training, puppy biting, chewing and jumping up.

• Understanding your puppy’s body language and communication.

• Socialisation and becoming comfortable with everyday sights, sounds and experiences, without rushing or overwhelming them.

• Sleep, rest and enrichment to support wellbeing.

• Building focus, connection and the beginnings of recall.

• Foundations for comfortable loose lead walking.

• Useful everyday skills, including drop and leave.

• Helping your puppy feel comfortable with handling and grooming.

• Learning to feel relaxed and comfortable during short periods apart from you.

• Building confidence and everyday lifeskills as your puppy grows.

There is no fixed checklist as every puppy's needs will be different. We will focus on what is useful for you and your puppy, building skills at a pace that suits you all.

The course provides support throughout your puppy journey, particularly valuable to first time puppy guardians

Course fee: £190.00
Includes one initial face to face session, 4 x 30 minute Zoom check-ins (recordings of the sessions), supporting resources and a dedicated WhatsApp group throughout your course.

Call Kaye on 07779 500129 or email at kaye@rightstartdogs.co.uk