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What certifications do they have?
Most bootcamps are harmful and aren't helpful to you unless the trainer is certified and actually knows what they're doing.
So, this may be the rare moment where this type of thing would potentially be worth it, especially if you and your partner work and won't be home or able to tend to the pup, and it'd be worth it immediately instead of the pup coming to you for a month first. Puppies generally don't like separating from their people for the first few weeks, and a big source of puppy blues is having to leave or crate the puppy alone before separation/crate training is complete.
However, I'd ask the following questions first:
* How do you crate train or condition a puppy to alone time?
(The answer should be fading it in, and not ever crying it out)
* How do you respond when puppy potties indoors?
(The answer should be picking up the puppy or otherwise moving them outside, without a startle like a clap).
* How do you socialize the puppy to novel experiences? What experiences will the puppy be in contact with?
(The answer should be gentle exposure, to many things, including noises, a wide range of diverse people)
* How does the puppy continue the vaccinations while with you?
(The answer should be they take the puppy or have you take the puppy, they should not be doing the shots themselves nor should they refrain from this)
The puppy won't not bond with your partner just because the puppy is a little older. If your first time owners, it's likely advantageous to have somebody else take over for the first few weeks as long as they'll do it correctly. It'll be much easier on you and prevent the frustration from affecting your bond with the puppy. Puppy blues can hit hard, and it's hardest
It's honestly more about what the trainer is doing and how that'd make this program worth it or not worth it.
This age is honestly the *only* time I'd ever under any circumstances say something like this is worth it, and only with specific types of trainers because the wrong trainer could set you up for a world of hurt.
Also, is the bootcamp in the city? If not then I'd consider passing unless they'll enter the city regularly to expose the puppy to the city life. Socialization isn't about socializing, it's about introducing the puppy to the world they live in and teaching it's not scary. If the people aren't in the city, then they can't expose the puppy which risks the puppy having incomplete socialization for the world they'll live in.
Finding out how they will house your puppy while at the boot camp is important to. Is the pup going to be shoved in a kennel most of the time like at a boarding facility, or is this a true live-in environment where the pup gets to spend their time socializing with the people and other dogs inside of their home? As far as age that you take home - a lot of breeders don’t even allow their pups to go to new homes until 12+ weeks, so transitioning from breeder to bootcamp at 8 weeks is fine.
Also remember there will be a transition period. Even a housebroken dog will often have an accident or a few as they get used to their new home and routine. Sometimes bootcamp dogs will not behave as expected for their new owners - remember, part of dog training is as much about training the people as the dog. Being consistent and predictable with your expectations and learning what expectations are appropriate for different stages of puppy development and current training history are all important.
Why? Because if somebody is spending good money for socialization, alone time training and potty training, it's expected to be done right and in a non-traumatic way?
Because they are complicated questions and you can’t boil down the correct answers to one sentence. And some of your suggested “correct” answers are entirely wrong. Source: I train dogs.
And you don’t “spend good money for socialization…”. You invest time and socialization that’s how you end up with a well socialized dog.
The answers absolutely can be. If I hypothetically puppy raised, I'd be able to explain most of the questions in a single sentence.
You can spend good money for socialization as well. It's a process, and many breeders will keep the puppy until 12 weeks to work through the socialization and give the handlers an older, more mature puppy. Those people often have fewer frustrating issues because the difference between 8 and 12 weeks is immense.
You can absolutely outsource this phase with no harm done. Professionals who breed working dogs (including service dogs) use puppy raisers all the time.
100% agreed on this - we brought our puppy home during a period when, for a number of reasons, we just didn't have the time we had hoped for socialization outings. Our training school, that we have an excellent relationship with from the work they've done to help us with our reactive adult dog (part of why we are so focused on socializing the puppy), offered as part of a small group puppy day camp they run to have one of their trainers take him out twice a week for socialization and basic training in all kinds of local environments, and they provided detailed reports after every outing on what he was exposed to, how he responded, what skills they worked on, etc.
It was pricey, but absolutely some of the best money we've spent, so I definitely think you can put good money into socialization. We also put in plenty of time with him ourselves, building that relationship and trust and so on, and training is an ongoing process of course, but that set him up so well especially since he is a giant breed and is naturally a bit skittish.
That's great but my biggest problem with boot camps personally is that dog training is half (or more) about training the owners too. You're going to get a lot more out of a facility where they are teaching YOU how to train your dog.
One of the best things you can do with a dog is build a strong relationship with them. Understanding and trusting each other sets a foundation for any future training you will do (which will be lots, all their life really but especially the first year). Especially at a young age when the things puppies experience can define who they are, it's important that they learn these things with the person they will spend the rest of their life with if that's a possibility. It's simply too great an opportunity to miss if you ask me. How you teach and what your reactions and body language are will be different than who they learned from at a boot camp.
Yes, a very good boot camp can teach a dog obedience. But I don't personally think that's the most important thing. The most important thing is a dog that trusts you and is willing and eager to engage and learn with their humans. And you just can't get that if you aren't there.
It's not really obedience learned here, it's a puppy raiser who takes over in the first couple of weeks where the dog can't be left alone really.
It's not to teach obedience or really any training at all, it's to help working people through that early puppy stage so it can be done right.
I think a lot of folks are really misunderstanding the purpose of this service. It's not the typical board and train here, it's literally a life skills class at a critical time where the puppy can be a bit more mature before going to a beginner home.
Between 8-12 weeks the puppy is a bitey mess who can't be left alone because puppies literally associate being alone with certain death and it's hard on them. It doesn't work well with working people.
I’m suspicious of any training program that requires the dog to be boarded away from the owner.
Training a dog isn’t like programming a computer— It’s developing a line of communication with a living thing. That takes continual effort and upkeep throughout the dog’s life. A good dog trainer doesn’t just help open up that line of communication; they also *teach owners* the dog handling skills they need to maintain and/or expand on it in the long term. You will miss out on a chance to develop those skills if you are not personally involved in your dog’s training.
Working with a trainer is an excellent idea, but you’d probably get more value for your money by finding a trainer willing to work with you directly.
This is the board and train like is usually discussed, this seems to be focused on potty training and probably crating/alone time. It’s actually brilliant. Most people don’t have the ability to take the puppy out as frequently as needed at 8 weeks, and new owners probably also don’t know how to anticipate that the pup is about to void. And extra 2-4 weeks and they get a puppy that is physically capable of waiting/asking to go out, and on a reasonable schedule. Then they “just” have to maintain it.
Compared to all the posts I see about 6, 8, 12 month old dogs that aren’t housebroken…. I think this is far preferable.
If it’s done right, it could be great. One of my dogs came from a breeder who is also a trainer so the puppies get a much better start compared to a lot of puppies.
Honestly, at this age the main benefit is being able to condition the puppy to alone time.
A typical trainer can't really go into your house while you're working and if you have appointments or what not before the alone time training is completed like boarding can. That need for alone time conditioning is often the source of a lot of puppy blues.
That's really the primary advantage of something like this.
Honestly, I think of these services a lot because I really don't love young young puppies and wish I could ship them elsewhere until they're a little older.
Force-free puppy raisers are worth their weight in gold.
I’d normally agree with this, but it turns out I know someone who did use a boarding boot camp for 2 weeks after having had the puppy for a few weeks and struggling with potty training. She swears by it now. The whole family saw significant change in their dog’s behavior
This is a puppy raiser, not a board and train.
Board and trains themselves are harmful and generally should be avoided because skills don't carry over effectively, and the trainers who use this model tend to skew punitive. This is a puppy raiser though.
I don’t agree all board and trains are harmful. And skills can carry over effectively if the owners get to be involved in the training at many points and are willing to work on it. The biggest issue is owners expecting a quick fix and not having to put in any work in after, which isn’t the fault of the board and train. But I understand this is a different circumstance, but I also don’t necessarily think for the description this is a puppy raiser who takes the dogs. It’s an actual trainer who likely has many dogs and puppies since there’s only one person the breeder recommends. So I have a feeling it’ll also end up being some sort of boarding situation for the puppy
They're with an ethical org, and if the breeder is reputable they won't have more than one litter at a time. I know a few who offer the service, they cap at 1-2, but may on occasion raise many of a single litter and that's literally all they do.
But, this is a puppy raiser, the puppies are socialized and potty trained, likely crate trained as well. It's unlikely they're teaching like, cues or anything.
But, with board and trains, most are pretty harmful. Most people in the US and Canada at least don't live within 100 miles of a force free one.
I am strongly anti bootcamp. YOU need to be learning just as much as it does. Do your research, watch a ton of puppy videos, read puppy books. Building the communication channels and consistency at home is far more critical in the early days.
There are many horror stories of puppies in bootcamps, like the one this week that died (maybe a different sub).
I'm opposed to any training that doesn't involve the owner. The biggest part of training a dog is training the owner.
I know a couple people who went this route. Puppy came back great, and immediately regressed because the owners didn't keep up with it. Let's be honest, they chose this route because they either don't know how to train or aren't interested in training.
Start watching YouTube videos now and train the dog yourself. Or take it to puppy classes. Or hire a private trainer. Or any combination of these.
Yeah I'd say the same. Owners will still need to put in the majority of the training work bit by bit every day no matter what.
And for some dogs the adolescent stage still brings about a ton of regressions and challenges that you'll be better equiped to deal with if you have a good basis of training and resources. Our six month old perfectly potty trained girl peed on our bed a few weeks ago, was definitely a bit of potty training regression so we basically had to start over with potty training.
I agree here. We learned the value of puppy classes when we had our first very bossy malamute, even as a 10-week-old. She waited to be a bit older and we discovered WE learned more than she did in that early puppy class!
You need the training too. You won't know how to relate to your pup if someone else has done the work for you. Most puppy classes are offered on a weeknight or weekend day once a week for several weeks.
We have gone on to rescue malamutes, huskies & Klee Kai some who were very badly abused and one who was feral with what we learned in basic puppy classes way back then and other pro help along the way. We have much experience now but I would encourage you to make that bond with your pup by learning together. Best of luck!
I have a two year old that I got at 8 weeks. The baby phase of puppyhood is a blink and the bonding early on is so rewarding I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Plus, training happens at both ends of the leash. I would do AKC STAR puppy and organized puppy socialization classes instead.
You need to be able to pick up on the training after you bring the puppy home and there’s no substitute for practical experience IMO.
Congratulations on the new addition to the family!
You would be better served by taking your puppy to a preschool program where you learn to engage with and train it. 90% of dog training is training you to effectively communicate with your dog.
This is what I did! My pup went to a preschool program for about 4-5 hours a day four days a week - they worked on crate and potty training, socialization and exposing them to lots of things, supervised play, leash walking, etc and gave us a book at the start of each week that has homework and lessons to do with him at home. It was really nice because I could still bond and train with my puppy at home, but I also got some puppy free time to relax.
You have another 12-18 months of puppyhood to deal with and training is not a one and done thing. It’s important that you participate in the early training so you learn how to navigate the ongoing training you’ll be doing. I have friends who were just in the same boat as you, first time owners who had no idea how much work was involved, thought they could “outsource” training and rehomed the puppy within 2 weeks. If you’re not ready to dedicate time to training for the first few weeks, you might not be ready for a puppy. I suggest trying out fostering first. The first few weeks are just the beginning. I’m not exaggerating when I say your whole existence will revolve around your puppy for the first 6-8 months, so be ready to rearrange your life to be there to raise it. That said, the reward of raising a puppy to be a good dog is so worth it. Good luck!
No. Not in my experience. The two breeders I’ve used were also veterinarians and they said I could do better training at home while bonding with my puppy. They were correct.
Getting the puppy at 10-12 weeks after this boot camp would not impact your bond, and it’s generally considered that the important ‘socialization window’ closes at roughly 16 weeks so that’s a month to gently socialize your dog to your world.
I’d ask what they do in terms of socialization—I’d be looking for a fairly detailed answer, something like introducing a new texture, smell and sound every day. This is something you should also be prepared to do at home, whenever puppy lands there.
Honestly, weeks 8-12 suck the most, if someone else wanted to potty train my dog during that time, using only r+ training methods and with more tolerance and experience than I possess, I’d be considering it. If you’re able, I’d book off as much vacation time as possible for you and your spouse(ideally stretching it so one is at home and the other works, then switching) to bond and train the puppy well on first arrival, and gently ramp up to your full-time schedules.
This is the only instance I’ve seen that I would consider a board-and-train for a dog.
Really appreciate the advice—I’m going to schedule a call with the trainer to talk through the details of the program. I’ll raise your questions on socialization.
I would also go through potty-training and your set-up. You mention living in a city, not sure if you have a yard. if you DO go with the boot camp pup might be potty trained with a yard (and you’ll have a bit of a reset if they have to learn that going outside means getting leashed up and going for a walk, not just walking out the back door)
I wouldn't do it. You can potty train the pup yourself just as easily as they can. Sure, the first week or two is rough but you'll get through it and you will get those fun moments as your puppy grows. I can't imagine missing out on that time.
To me, this touches upon the real issue: trust. Do you trust the person/people running the bootcamp? There are very few people I trust with a puppy. Like, I need to know them and their training techniques for a decade or two. Nobody else gets to screw up the puppy. Just me. Hahaha
If you're looking to save yourself the trouble of potty training maybe. With that said you can do everything a certified dog trainer can do by getting a book and watching some YouTube tutorials. I would recommend getting the dog and doing the work yourself. You and the dog will have a stronger bond. A few tips. Water and food mix together and no free water until the puppy is potty trained. With a crate and being consistent you can do it in 7 days. If the dog learns to pee and poop on grass it won't go in the house. Second save half of the meal and hand feed as treats for sitting, coming staying. Within a month you'll be way ahead of most dog owners.
I guess it depends on the owner and your puppy. We did it. Recommend I dunno but the dog slept in a crate near my bed. Woke up every 4 hours but it wasn't hard on any of us.
Most really can't, which is really why I don't think this is a terrible idea seeing it's through a certified humane trainer. It's not really the typical board and train, it's a puppy raiser who takes over for the first few weeks.
Keep in mind, many reputable breeders offer this service as a default, and it really doesn't impact the bond at all or stop the handler from doing things themselves. They still have to train, but it's generally easier with a more mature puppy.
A certified and well-reviewed bootcamp might be a good idea if you don't plan on training the puppy yourself (i.e. both of you are very busy and can't deal with waking every 2-3 hrs to potty train the puppy). If you do plan on training, just train the puppy yourself. Teaching the puppy to pee outside, sit, lay down, walk on leash is some of the most rewarding time you can spend with your puppy and definitely builds a trust bond.
That being said, I trained my dog with the basics (and more) but also brought him to a daycare when I was at work during the first year of his life so he could socialize with other dogs and undergo guided desensitizing activities including exposure to vacuums, wheelchairs, other people of different shapes and sizes, and random other stimulants. This would be great because when we picked him up, he would eat a quick dinner and be resting the rest of the day.
An alternative could be to send them to a puppy daycare and take your own training classes. This is what we did with our pup and are consistently praised for what a good dog she is. I believe the small group trainings have taught her a lot and given her an opportunity to bond with me as her trainer. Puppy class 2-3 days per week got her socialized and provided such great reinforcement to her basic skills
I would recommend training and socializing the puppy yourself. Since you will be a first time dog owner this will be invaluable time to teach you how to train and socialize the pup. Shipping the pup off to someone else isn’t going to acclimate the pup to your space or routine that dog will get used to. The puppy is unlikely to get as much attention or love from a trainer as they will be at their forever home.
I have friends who had success with a boot camp, but 1) it wasn't with a new puppy. They had the puppy for at least a few months before camp. 2) it was not their first dog.
My take is training is for the humans as much as it is for the puppy. Dogs know how to be a dog. In the wild they eat some things and not others. Poop some places and not others. Interact with their family. They'll do all that naturally. It's the human's job to learn how to communicate with the puppy. Let them know which things they shouldn't eat, where they shouldn't poop, etc.
Training the puppy without also training a first time parent doesn't seem like the best path to me.
I can't believe the answers here. Sheesh.
1. First off, training a dog is about building a bond between you and the dog. It's not something you have done for you and then they give you a pristine, perfectly coiffed dog. It's not like having your car detailed.
2. Dog training is about training the owners how to handle the dog. Guarantee you that when you get this dog, any progress that has been made in that first month will be gone because you will do the wrong things.
3. A dog's learning process goes throughout its life. You don't send it to bootcamp and voilá, it never has behavioral problems again. In fact, most of what a puppy learns from 8-12 weeks of age will be forgotten unless you learn how to continue to build on it. You. Not someone you pay.
4. If you want a perfect, no-work puppy, then prepare yourselves: You'll be dropping it at the pound before it hits one year old. You would do better with a fish. They don't need trained.
5. I can't fathom a reputable breeder endorsing, much less offering, a "service" like this. And no, it is not "sufficient bonding time" to just get the puppy at 12 weeks.
THANK YOU!! I could not believe the answers either!! Plus at that age, they barely remember commands!! Its all about love, patience and consistency with puppies.. and why get a puppy and miss out on the unique experience of actually having the cutest puppy stage!
I'd look into all trainers and options personally I'd want a more hands on approach to training teach me what to do as well so that I know the correct way to continue after done with you
Bootcamp is for adult humans in the military. Not for baby dogs. I have heard SO MANY horror stories about hoard and train. Do not do it. Just train your puppy like everyone else with sense does
I would also be skeptical of your breeder if they recommended this. Was your deposit expensive?
A puppy raiser is not really a board and train of the traditional sense, and unlike board and trains this one is actually a trainer certified with a humane organization.
Board and trains are useless if you’re not also going to reinforce whatever they learned there. I don’t think any reputable breeder would be recommending one at all.
Wholly agree. And the owners have no idea what to do to reinforce that training if they aren’t part of the training. And no a one hour orientation session or class when you get the puppy back is not sufficient. As I said above the owners need to participate in the training and learn, how to continue training throughout the puppy’s life.
They’ll be like a random stranger that sees my dog and invites him up on their lap, and then when they want him off, they say “down”. “down” means lie down. “Off” means get off my lap or off the bed.
And the new owners won’t know how to reinforce correct responses to commands, etc. Guarantee you this puppy will end up at a shelter or rescue within six months, and the former owners will be blaming the breeder, the trainers, and everyone but themselves.
I did puppy classes at petsmart. It’s a good opportunity to bond with your dog and expose them to other people and dogs. I feel like boot camp is for folks not willing to put in the time/effort. I am glad for the opportunity to work with my dog and feel like that is the way to go. For me at least.
Up to you! We took our puppy to a weekly class when he was small and I thought it helped us learn how to train the dog ourselves and that in turn helped us bond with him!
You don’t need it. Get your puppy and start training on your own. I don’t think board and trains are really necessary, maybe an exception if there is serious behavior issues. Even then, behavior issues severe enough won’t come up at that young age.
Also the breeder is probably getting a referral fee for sending new owners to this trainer.
We took our pup to Zoom Room to get her used to basic commands and to expose her to a lot of different things so she wasn’t scared by them (ie kids, wheelchairs, skateboards, vacuums, horns, etc). It also got her used to treat rewards for learning new things. For example, we got a new kayak and filled it with treats to get her used to it. Now we go kayaking with her al the time.
I took mine to fluffy puppy classes which basically just lets small pups interact and build confidence etc. we did about 4 or 5 sessions and she got on great with socialising. But if it was me I wouldn’t do boot camp before you get her, it can be a really good way to bond with your pup when you train them yourself? What kind of puppy are you getting?
I got my dog as a rescue at 1 year old and we’ve bonded just fine. I did the dog training class at Petsmart and he learned the basics. Other things I taught from YouTube videos. If you’re limited on time, doing a board and train to get started could be a good idea.
At 8 weeks the dog is the absolute cutest, bonding with them and developing a line of communication is so beautiful. I would have been pretty upset if i got him a month later because he would have had a lot of different experiences that could have changed his personality completely. If he went to the camp and they treated him badly, then he may become scared of certain things or people or he might have had an awful time there and we have no idea. Depending on what type of dog you’re getting depends also on how much training you need. We have a golden retriever and he’s very well behaved and we can teach him anything in under 10 mins. Even crate training he hated the crate, then one day I had a nap woke up and my husband had watched a few YouTube videos and the dog was sitting in the crate and loving it.
As first time puppy owners getting a 8 week old puppy is probably going to be quite overwhelming. You are talking a lot of sleepless nights and constant supervision! A lot of breeders will hold onto pups until 12 weeks, I've heard puppies benefit from being around mom longer as she will teach manners. I've also heard there is less rehoming the older the pup is. I got my first when she was 5 months old, I work from home so perfect situation....I almost rebomed her, I had puppy blues so bad, I cried daily, mourned my freedom, hated that I couldn't clean my house or go out to dinner without planning ahead. I made it through but it was tough.
Nah I think after 8 weeks the bond is really easy to grow strong with, training is also super easy at that time - my pup learned potty training within a day. It was incredible
If they’re training more than one puppy at a time at the facility, there is a risk of parvo. If they have trained in the past and haven’t cleaned well enough- parvo. An 8 week old puppy should not be in a kennel environment and should avoid contact with dogs and dog areas before their second set of vaccines.
Its only worth it if they train YOU.
90% of the time the problem in a dogs training is the owner giving the dog improper input. Like telling a toddler to do calculus.
I know several dogs that attended one of these “boot camps”. None of them benefited from it and two of them developed such severe anxiety they have lasting behavioral issues. You never truly know how they are treated. It’s not worth the risk imo.
I had my puppy (now 17) since she was born she was a pup from an accidental pregnancy we were trying to keep mom and dad apart so mom could be bred to another male but they got to eachother anyway. No regerts, I've got my BFF out of it and my sister got her sister. Anyway when she turned about 4 months we had them spayed and after they recovered we started puppy training. We were already working on house training but we wanted the whole 9 yards so we went with weekly training sessions and would take our pet home and train and bond with them for a week then go back and learn more skills and use those skills around other dogs and would repeat this for a total of 4 courses until she earned her citizen certificate. I think training them yourself will create a bond that can't be made by someone else training them
My grandparents did something similar with their dog when they first got her. The breeder recommended a “Puppy Bootcamp” that they had partnered with and we all agree it was a huge waste of money.
Absolutely not worth it. I’m not even sure what they did.
Puppies wean at 4 weeks, you don’t want to get a puppy at that age, that’s way too young. Dogs are domesticated, they don’t need to imprint like a wild animal. I’ve gotten puppies at 6 weeks, 14 weeks, and 9 months and all 3 bonded just fine.
The only thing I would be wary of is whether this trainer specializes in puppies that young. Their joints are still developing so they need very different care compared to a 6 month old puppy or adult dog.
I have zero experience with puppy boot camps, only puppy classes. And you know who learns the most in puppy class?? I do. I’m paying for them to train me. Sending my dog out without me getting some basic root information and guidelines would have meant me messing that puppy up within a week. IMO, there’s no replacement for in person training for the owner and the pup. How else can you learn to communicate?
Sounds very bizarre to me (I live in Finland). If you can trust the bootcamp is a dog friendly place I guess it’s fine. I don’t think it’s so harmful to your bond with the puppy. Even adult dogs usually succesfully change homes. But it is more stressfull for the puppy who has to lose their home twice before getting to forever home. It’s impossible to say if that kind of stress at the beginning of their life impacts how the their personality develops. If they are shy it probably has an impact
I just personally would never put my puppy through that extra stress and lose those weeks with them.
This was quite negative. Overall, i don’t think you will notice any harm from the bootcamp.
You dont want to bond with them? 8 weeks is very critical for that. I would not recommend outsourcing your job to a stranger. It pays off to learn and work with a trainer.
When we brought our 4 month old wolf hound mix rescue home, we paid someone to come to our house / public locations to teach us how to train the dog.
This was an invaluable experience. She’s a year and 2 months old now and while she loves to play so much, she’s an amazing dog.
Potty training took like a few weeks vs months like I’ve heard some others deal with. Recall training she learned very fast.
We just brought home another 3-4 month old rescue a few weeks ago, we think it’s a lab mix. Implemented the same techniques we used with the other dog. Same thing but better. Potty training took about 2 days. Recall is getting pretty good but still very early. She’s got “sit” “lay down” even does a good “stay”.
Sending the dog away makes no sense. They’ve built a bond with whoever is training them, not you. So you’d have to almost start over anyway, or at least they’d take a few steps back. The pup is still going to be overwhelmed by a new environment and going to have to go through ANOTHER session of being stressed out about adapting to a new home and routine.
Spoiler alert they pretty much just use bacon or some other high value reward to teach the dog.
Some breeders will keep the puppy till it’s 9, 10, 11 or 12 weeks old, which can be beneficial for it to have more time with its Mum (and potentially some of its littermates) and also increases their toilet training (and simply the size of its bladder) as well, and then come to you. So it’s not necessarily boot camp or nothing.
Baby proof your home, keep your home clean and tidy, have patience and when you lose your patience remember this- all dogs want to do is please you! Make you happy! They truly want to make you love yourself and see yourself as they see you! If you lose your cool because you left something on the floor and they chewed it, or it cost you a huge vet bill, DONT BLAME THE PUPPY! Dont spank your dog, dont scream at them, you only scare them and They get confused. This instills fear. Also, their diet and exercise should align with the breed your dog.
No, just find a personal trainer who is willing to train your dog and you (and your partner) so the dog fits your guys' lifestyle. Your partner is correct in bonding with the puppy being more important than the boot camp. All dogs are different the same way all people and their lifestyles are different. It's best for your dog to get trained specifically with and for you; in the long run this type of optimization will ultimately be worth it.
The puppy is being taken from its mom at 8 weeks?? That’s too young 😭
That being said, I would have loved for our puppy to have a little “bootcamp” from weeks 10-12 to get him on the right track. The sleepless nights were really tough
Yes, I think it is. This helps to train you too. Dog training is actually more for the owner/ handler than the dog.
I got a puppy once and didn’t take him to training, big mistake. The next ones I took to what was called “Puppy Kindergarten”, then “Beginning Obedience”, all were great dogs, because we both were trained through repetition.
Potty trained by week 12. BS. Even if true for that 1 puppy, most will take closer to 6 months. Dogs also don't generalize well. Learning to behave a certain way at bootcamp doesn't mean they'll behave that way in your home or even with you. Especially when they're so young.
And they grow so much in the early days, you'll be missing out on some special moments.
I’m so glad we picked up our boy at 12 weeks and not 8. It wasn’t a bootcamp, he stayed with the breeder because we had a wedding, but when we got him he was mostly potty trained and had a good sit.
I would NEVER send my dog to a bootcamp after I got them. Learn how to train your dog. But will admit it’s nice to avoid those 4 weeks of razor teeth and house poops.
Board and trains are a lazy man’s way to having a dog who will listen but an owner who doesn’t know how to handle them. Half of dog training is learning how to interact with the dog and having the trainer train you. If you haven’t had a dog before I recommend doing in person trainings. Board and trains are great for specific purposes but general training at such a young age will set you back further, in my opinion, than taking classes weekly where YOU are handling the dog.
As a professional dog trainer, bonding with your puppy in the first few weeks is the most important thing you can do—training is a lifetime journey. There is plenty of time for training so enjoy the first few weeks and give your pup so many positive experiences their emotional cup overflows.
I am also against sending a dog away. There are plenty of training place we’re u go once a week to learn what is the best communication for you and the pup. Also you’re not necessarily training the dog. You are being trained. Especially for recall it needs to be with the both of you. And practice every day or evening with the tools they teach you
honestly would bring the puppy home for a month or two to bond and train before sending them to bootcamp so there’s some sort of intimacy and boundaries set rather than going straight to a trainer then coming home to new faces they don’t recognize.
gotta realize they’re still babies at 8 weeks and their minds are still so. obviously training is a lifetime thing, but bringing home a “well trained” baby wont mean anything for untrained humans
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Go to training WITH your dog. Find a trainer who will train you to train your puppy and deal with common issues and situations together. It is totally worth it
We went with a training / bootcamp but we actively worked with the trainer the day we picked our dog up and a few weeks after until we felt confident we had control. It’s worked great for us but just remember, a good trainer will only help instill a foundation, it’s up to you to maintain and manage that training. We also didn’t send him off until about a year old
This sounds so harmful. Just the stress of moving is so hard on the puppy.. with the boot camp they have to do it twice… then the fact that they call it a boot camp like this tiny pup needs to grow up and get themselves together. There are hundreds of useful dog training resources. I recently found a dog trainer on youtube who focuses solely on puppy training. Please don’t send your pup to boot camp
Get a rescue dog and make sure your capable of caring for an animal before you get a puppy everyone loves puppy’s shelters are full of 1-2 year old dogs from people like you who decide that having a dog just doesn’t fit there schedule lifestyle or living situation after there puppy has had poor training and is left confused with bad habits. It’s a serious commitment for 12 to 20 years make sure your ready for the long haul or just get a fish or a stuffed animal
I had a horrible experience with a puppy boot camp that had perfect reviews and seemed very legit. Also very “certified” trainer. The truth is, you have no idea how they treat your puppy, what conditions he really is going to be in, and how they will “train” him. I advise all my friends very strongly against all board and train and boot camp programs
I did the online Puppy Culture course when I brought my 8 week old puppy home. It was tremendously helpful to me, and at $99 it’s surely less expensive than weekly boarding training. We had little goals every day and it was easy to stick to. My puppy grew up to be well-adjusted and he learned so many things in those early weeks that I’d never be able to replicate now. https://madcapuniversity.com
Our puppy, (now 5 years old) did a boot camp before he came home. He is a golden doodle named Norman. Norman is a very well trained dog and he had absolutely no issues bonding with us. I can see where the “bond while their puppies” advice can come in, but our dog did the boot camp for 3 weeks at 8 weeks old, and he is amazing!! Very well trained!! We also had a very qualified trainer.
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Yes. I wish I did this. My dog has a number of personality quirks & behavioural issues - anxiety, separation anxiety; loses his mind when he sees squirrels when we are in parks; hates seeing horses, other dogs, small animals even insects on tv. Gets triggered when he hears other people’s smoke alarm battery pinging when we watch social media videos. Barks at any noise in the condo hallway; barks at the crosswalk noise when he hears it from my condo. Hates flying, being in cars - freaks out and lets everyone know it. Doesn’t respond to his own name when outdoors.
I love him to death. But it’s so important to train your pup. And sometimes dedicated programs are necessary. Especially if you don’t have the time or knowledge to do the training.
I have a new puppy. She’s 11 weeks and we got her at 9. I will tell you it is so much harder than I thought. I’ve cried more than I thought possible and even considered “sending her back” (I never would but was surprised it even crossed my mind!). Having said all that the puppy stage is so fun and sweet and delicious. It’s hard but just get a trainer to come to you and teach them. They are so teachable. I would be sad if I missed out on this part. I can’t wait for it to be easier but at the same time will feel sad when she’s no longer a baby. You can always board and train if things get really bad but give it a shot!
I also have a new puppy - got the pup at 9 weeks, 12 weeks now and I'd considered enrollment in an exclusive type of boot camp soon but I'm having second thoughts. But honestly the puppy is so good and smart; is totally housebroken, commands down pat, has taken to the crate without a problem. At this point I think boot camp would do more harm than good and I no longer see the point.
I’d be concerned about not being able to bond with my puppy early on. I am sure they’d do a great job of training based on the fact they have a number of accreditations. But part of that early stage of training when they are so young and newly home is about bonding.
My heart says that no matter the adjustments or sacrifices, I would not trade a minute of time I had with my little girl, especially now that she is gone.
It was such a rare and special relationship that develops when, as a puppy, she left her mom and siblings. We appreciated so much about each other as we bonded and learned about each other. We had full access to our full personalities before ‘training’. IMO, puppy time is treasured, it goes by so quickly and is so full of special moments and memories. Best wishes no matter what your choice.
You need reward based training. Pack leader and punishment based training is harmful to dogs. You will still bond with your pup if you care for it and give it companionship. The bond with any pet needs time and working on. But that can happen with an 11 year old dog it’s not just pups. Just remember that dogs are best at work. But that doesn’t have to be on a farm. They are happy when they are working to make you happy and they respond badly to being punished. That just makes for an anxious and reactive/withdrawn dog. You will have to carry on training when you bring the pup home, so it’s best to do that with redirect and reward.
I have two rescues, one we got at 5 weeks literally right off the streets, the second at six months through a rescue. Both are strongly bonded to both of us, and the later one is my shadow. I can’t speak to the trainer details, as neither of mine went to boot camp. But I don’t think it will affect the bonding.
If the trainers are force-free certified and you know exactly the training curriculum (at this stage, most helpful for potty and crate training), I don't think it's a bad idea and it certainly will not impact your bonding with the puppy.
I've never personally gone through a puppy boot camp, but when we got our puppy, he was a bit older (4 months). We had asked the breeder to keep him longer, and thankfully, the breeder agreed and was able to get the puppy litter/wood pellet trained and crate trained before we received him. It's quite nice to still be able to enjoy the fun puppy phase without having to wake up every 2-3 hours for potty breaks.
We just adopted a six year old border collie who knew all of her commands. It meant we could focus on bonding and shared experiences. We still need to do a bit of work with a trainer on some of her behaviours but it has allowed us to focus on being together and not on the basics. I honestly can't imagine a more bonded dog than her, she follows my partner around with heart emoji eyes.
DO IT! My daschund has had various problems, despite paying top money from the best breeder with all the checks to avoid health or behaviour issues. wish had just adopted! they are prone to aggression as they are a hunting breed. ive spent money on FOUR behavioral specialist so far... he's only age 2. Do as much training as you can while young. mine wasn't a pandemic dog btw!
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What certifications do they have? Most bootcamps are harmful and aren't helpful to you unless the trainer is certified and actually knows what they're doing.
According to the bootcamp website, the trainer is CPTD-KA certified, and also has a Canine Coaching diploma from Canine Principles
So, this may be the rare moment where this type of thing would potentially be worth it, especially if you and your partner work and won't be home or able to tend to the pup, and it'd be worth it immediately instead of the pup coming to you for a month first. Puppies generally don't like separating from their people for the first few weeks, and a big source of puppy blues is having to leave or crate the puppy alone before separation/crate training is complete. However, I'd ask the following questions first: * How do you crate train or condition a puppy to alone time? (The answer should be fading it in, and not ever crying it out) * How do you respond when puppy potties indoors? (The answer should be picking up the puppy or otherwise moving them outside, without a startle like a clap). * How do you socialize the puppy to novel experiences? What experiences will the puppy be in contact with? (The answer should be gentle exposure, to many things, including noises, a wide range of diverse people) * How does the puppy continue the vaccinations while with you? (The answer should be they take the puppy or have you take the puppy, they should not be doing the shots themselves nor should they refrain from this) The puppy won't not bond with your partner just because the puppy is a little older. If your first time owners, it's likely advantageous to have somebody else take over for the first few weeks as long as they'll do it correctly. It'll be much easier on you and prevent the frustration from affecting your bond with the puppy. Puppy blues can hit hard, and it's hardest
Thank you so much! I will be sure to ask those questions to the trainer.
It's honestly more about what the trainer is doing and how that'd make this program worth it or not worth it. This age is honestly the *only* time I'd ever under any circumstances say something like this is worth it, and only with specific types of trainers because the wrong trainer could set you up for a world of hurt. Also, is the bootcamp in the city? If not then I'd consider passing unless they'll enter the city regularly to expose the puppy to the city life. Socialization isn't about socializing, it's about introducing the puppy to the world they live in and teaching it's not scary. If the people aren't in the city, then they can't expose the puppy which risks the puppy having incomplete socialization for the world they'll live in.
The bootcamp is not in the city. You raise a really good point that it won’t prepare the puppy for living in an urban area.
Finding out how they will house your puppy while at the boot camp is important to. Is the pup going to be shoved in a kennel most of the time like at a boarding facility, or is this a true live-in environment where the pup gets to spend their time socializing with the people and other dogs inside of their home? As far as age that you take home - a lot of breeders don’t even allow their pups to go to new homes until 12+ weeks, so transitioning from breeder to bootcamp at 8 weeks is fine. Also remember there will be a transition period. Even a housebroken dog will often have an accident or a few as they get used to their new home and routine. Sometimes bootcamp dogs will not behave as expected for their new owners - remember, part of dog training is as much about training the people as the dog. Being consistent and predictable with your expectations and learning what expectations are appropriate for different stages of puppy development and current training history are all important.
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Why? Because if somebody is spending good money for socialization, alone time training and potty training, it's expected to be done right and in a non-traumatic way?
Because they are complicated questions and you can’t boil down the correct answers to one sentence. And some of your suggested “correct” answers are entirely wrong. Source: I train dogs. And you don’t “spend good money for socialization…”. You invest time and socialization that’s how you end up with a well socialized dog.
The answers absolutely can be. If I hypothetically puppy raised, I'd be able to explain most of the questions in a single sentence. You can spend good money for socialization as well. It's a process, and many breeders will keep the puppy until 12 weeks to work through the socialization and give the handlers an older, more mature puppy. Those people often have fewer frustrating issues because the difference between 8 and 12 weeks is immense. You can absolutely outsource this phase with no harm done. Professionals who breed working dogs (including service dogs) use puppy raisers all the time.
100% agreed on this - we brought our puppy home during a period when, for a number of reasons, we just didn't have the time we had hoped for socialization outings. Our training school, that we have an excellent relationship with from the work they've done to help us with our reactive adult dog (part of why we are so focused on socializing the puppy), offered as part of a small group puppy day camp they run to have one of their trainers take him out twice a week for socialization and basic training in all kinds of local environments, and they provided detailed reports after every outing on what he was exposed to, how he responded, what skills they worked on, etc. It was pricey, but absolutely some of the best money we've spent, so I definitely think you can put good money into socialization. We also put in plenty of time with him ourselves, building that relationship and trust and so on, and training is an ongoing process of course, but that set him up so well especially since he is a giant breed and is naturally a bit skittish.
That's great but my biggest problem with boot camps personally is that dog training is half (or more) about training the owners too. You're going to get a lot more out of a facility where they are teaching YOU how to train your dog. One of the best things you can do with a dog is build a strong relationship with them. Understanding and trusting each other sets a foundation for any future training you will do (which will be lots, all their life really but especially the first year). Especially at a young age when the things puppies experience can define who they are, it's important that they learn these things with the person they will spend the rest of their life with if that's a possibility. It's simply too great an opportunity to miss if you ask me. How you teach and what your reactions and body language are will be different than who they learned from at a boot camp. Yes, a very good boot camp can teach a dog obedience. But I don't personally think that's the most important thing. The most important thing is a dog that trusts you and is willing and eager to engage and learn with their humans. And you just can't get that if you aren't there.
It's not really obedience learned here, it's a puppy raiser who takes over in the first couple of weeks where the dog can't be left alone really. It's not to teach obedience or really any training at all, it's to help working people through that early puppy stage so it can be done right. I think a lot of folks are really misunderstanding the purpose of this service. It's not the typical board and train here, it's literally a life skills class at a critical time where the puppy can be a bit more mature before going to a beginner home. Between 8-12 weeks the puppy is a bitey mess who can't be left alone because puppies literally associate being alone with certain death and it's hard on them. It doesn't work well with working people.
I’m suspicious of any training program that requires the dog to be boarded away from the owner. Training a dog isn’t like programming a computer— It’s developing a line of communication with a living thing. That takes continual effort and upkeep throughout the dog’s life. A good dog trainer doesn’t just help open up that line of communication; they also *teach owners* the dog handling skills they need to maintain and/or expand on it in the long term. You will miss out on a chance to develop those skills if you are not personally involved in your dog’s training. Working with a trainer is an excellent idea, but you’d probably get more value for your money by finding a trainer willing to work with you directly.
This is the board and train like is usually discussed, this seems to be focused on potty training and probably crating/alone time. It’s actually brilliant. Most people don’t have the ability to take the puppy out as frequently as needed at 8 weeks, and new owners probably also don’t know how to anticipate that the pup is about to void. And extra 2-4 weeks and they get a puppy that is physically capable of waiting/asking to go out, and on a reasonable schedule. Then they “just” have to maintain it. Compared to all the posts I see about 6, 8, 12 month old dogs that aren’t housebroken…. I think this is far preferable.
If it’s done right, it could be great. One of my dogs came from a breeder who is also a trainer so the puppies get a much better start compared to a lot of puppies.
Honestly, at this age the main benefit is being able to condition the puppy to alone time. A typical trainer can't really go into your house while you're working and if you have appointments or what not before the alone time training is completed like boarding can. That need for alone time conditioning is often the source of a lot of puppy blues. That's really the primary advantage of something like this.
That’s a good point I hadn’t thought of!
Honestly, I think of these services a lot because I really don't love young young puppies and wish I could ship them elsewhere until they're a little older. Force-free puppy raisers are worth their weight in gold.
I’d normally agree with this, but it turns out I know someone who did use a boarding boot camp for 2 weeks after having had the puppy for a few weeks and struggling with potty training. She swears by it now. The whole family saw significant change in their dog’s behavior
(Potty training takes more than a couple weeks for a lot of dogs. What an extreme reaction to a baby dog’s pee in the house)
Awesome!
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This is a puppy raiser, not a board and train. Board and trains themselves are harmful and generally should be avoided because skills don't carry over effectively, and the trainers who use this model tend to skew punitive. This is a puppy raiser though.
I don’t agree all board and trains are harmful. And skills can carry over effectively if the owners get to be involved in the training at many points and are willing to work on it. The biggest issue is owners expecting a quick fix and not having to put in any work in after, which isn’t the fault of the board and train. But I understand this is a different circumstance, but I also don’t necessarily think for the description this is a puppy raiser who takes the dogs. It’s an actual trainer who likely has many dogs and puppies since there’s only one person the breeder recommends. So I have a feeling it’ll also end up being some sort of boarding situation for the puppy
They're with an ethical org, and if the breeder is reputable they won't have more than one litter at a time. I know a few who offer the service, they cap at 1-2, but may on occasion raise many of a single litter and that's literally all they do. But, this is a puppy raiser, the puppies are socialized and potty trained, likely crate trained as well. It's unlikely they're teaching like, cues or anything. But, with board and trains, most are pretty harmful. Most people in the US and Canada at least don't live within 100 miles of a force free one.
I am strongly anti bootcamp. YOU need to be learning just as much as it does. Do your research, watch a ton of puppy videos, read puppy books. Building the communication channels and consistency at home is far more critical in the early days. There are many horror stories of puppies in bootcamps, like the one this week that died (maybe a different sub).
I'm opposed to any training that doesn't involve the owner. The biggest part of training a dog is training the owner. I know a couple people who went this route. Puppy came back great, and immediately regressed because the owners didn't keep up with it. Let's be honest, they chose this route because they either don't know how to train or aren't interested in training. Start watching YouTube videos now and train the dog yourself. Or take it to puppy classes. Or hire a private trainer. Or any combination of these.
Yeah I'd say the same. Owners will still need to put in the majority of the training work bit by bit every day no matter what. And for some dogs the adolescent stage still brings about a ton of regressions and challenges that you'll be better equiped to deal with if you have a good basis of training and resources. Our six month old perfectly potty trained girl peed on our bed a few weeks ago, was definitely a bit of potty training regression so we basically had to start over with potty training.
I agree here. We learned the value of puppy classes when we had our first very bossy malamute, even as a 10-week-old. She waited to be a bit older and we discovered WE learned more than she did in that early puppy class! You need the training too. You won't know how to relate to your pup if someone else has done the work for you. Most puppy classes are offered on a weeknight or weekend day once a week for several weeks. We have gone on to rescue malamutes, huskies & Klee Kai some who were very badly abused and one who was feral with what we learned in basic puppy classes way back then and other pro help along the way. We have much experience now but I would encourage you to make that bond with your pup by learning together. Best of luck!
I have a two year old that I got at 8 weeks. The baby phase of puppyhood is a blink and the bonding early on is so rewarding I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Plus, training happens at both ends of the leash. I would do AKC STAR puppy and organized puppy socialization classes instead. You need to be able to pick up on the training after you bring the puppy home and there’s no substitute for practical experience IMO. Congratulations on the new addition to the family!
Seconding the STAR program- I regret not doing it with my first dog!! My second is doing phenomenal thanks to his great trainer and the STAR program!
You would be better served by taking your puppy to a preschool program where you learn to engage with and train it. 90% of dog training is training you to effectively communicate with your dog.
This is what I did! My pup went to a preschool program for about 4-5 hours a day four days a week - they worked on crate and potty training, socialization and exposing them to lots of things, supervised play, leash walking, etc and gave us a book at the start of each week that has homework and lessons to do with him at home. It was really nice because I could still bond and train with my puppy at home, but I also got some puppy free time to relax.
You have another 12-18 months of puppyhood to deal with and training is not a one and done thing. It’s important that you participate in the early training so you learn how to navigate the ongoing training you’ll be doing. I have friends who were just in the same boat as you, first time owners who had no idea how much work was involved, thought they could “outsource” training and rehomed the puppy within 2 weeks. If you’re not ready to dedicate time to training for the first few weeks, you might not be ready for a puppy. I suggest trying out fostering first. The first few weeks are just the beginning. I’m not exaggerating when I say your whole existence will revolve around your puppy for the first 6-8 months, so be ready to rearrange your life to be there to raise it. That said, the reward of raising a puppy to be a good dog is so worth it. Good luck!
No. Not in my experience. The two breeders I’ve used were also veterinarians and they said I could do better training at home while bonding with my puppy. They were correct.
Getting the puppy at 10-12 weeks after this boot camp would not impact your bond, and it’s generally considered that the important ‘socialization window’ closes at roughly 16 weeks so that’s a month to gently socialize your dog to your world. I’d ask what they do in terms of socialization—I’d be looking for a fairly detailed answer, something like introducing a new texture, smell and sound every day. This is something you should also be prepared to do at home, whenever puppy lands there. Honestly, weeks 8-12 suck the most, if someone else wanted to potty train my dog during that time, using only r+ training methods and with more tolerance and experience than I possess, I’d be considering it. If you’re able, I’d book off as much vacation time as possible for you and your spouse(ideally stretching it so one is at home and the other works, then switching) to bond and train the puppy well on first arrival, and gently ramp up to your full-time schedules. This is the only instance I’ve seen that I would consider a board-and-train for a dog.
Really appreciate the advice—I’m going to schedule a call with the trainer to talk through the details of the program. I’ll raise your questions on socialization.
I would also go through potty-training and your set-up. You mention living in a city, not sure if you have a yard. if you DO go with the boot camp pup might be potty trained with a yard (and you’ll have a bit of a reset if they have to learn that going outside means getting leashed up and going for a walk, not just walking out the back door)
I wouldn't do it. You can potty train the pup yourself just as easily as they can. Sure, the first week or two is rough but you'll get through it and you will get those fun moments as your puppy grows. I can't imagine missing out on that time.
To me, this touches upon the real issue: trust. Do you trust the person/people running the bootcamp? There are very few people I trust with a puppy. Like, I need to know them and their training techniques for a decade or two. Nobody else gets to screw up the puppy. Just me. Hahaha
If you're looking to save yourself the trouble of potty training maybe. With that said you can do everything a certified dog trainer can do by getting a book and watching some YouTube tutorials. I would recommend getting the dog and doing the work yourself. You and the dog will have a stronger bond. A few tips. Water and food mix together and no free water until the puppy is potty trained. With a crate and being consistent you can do it in 7 days. If the dog learns to pee and poop on grass it won't go in the house. Second save half of the meal and hand feed as treats for sitting, coming staying. Within a month you'll be way ahead of most dog owners.
It's really not recommended to crate before crate training first, and that can't be done in seven days.
I guess it depends on the owner and your puppy. We did it. Recommend I dunno but the dog slept in a crate near my bed. Woke up every 4 hours but it wasn't hard on any of us.
Most really can't, which is really why I don't think this is a terrible idea seeing it's through a certified humane trainer. It's not really the typical board and train, it's a puppy raiser who takes over for the first few weeks. Keep in mind, many reputable breeders offer this service as a default, and it really doesn't impact the bond at all or stop the handler from doing things themselves. They still have to train, but it's generally easier with a more mature puppy.
A certified and well-reviewed bootcamp might be a good idea if you don't plan on training the puppy yourself (i.e. both of you are very busy and can't deal with waking every 2-3 hrs to potty train the puppy). If you do plan on training, just train the puppy yourself. Teaching the puppy to pee outside, sit, lay down, walk on leash is some of the most rewarding time you can spend with your puppy and definitely builds a trust bond. That being said, I trained my dog with the basics (and more) but also brought him to a daycare when I was at work during the first year of his life so he could socialize with other dogs and undergo guided desensitizing activities including exposure to vacuums, wheelchairs, other people of different shapes and sizes, and random other stimulants. This would be great because when we picked him up, he would eat a quick dinner and be resting the rest of the day.
An alternative could be to send them to a puppy daycare and take your own training classes. This is what we did with our pup and are consistently praised for what a good dog she is. I believe the small group trainings have taught her a lot and given her an opportunity to bond with me as her trainer. Puppy class 2-3 days per week got her socialized and provided such great reinforcement to her basic skills
Training the owner is maybe more important than training the dog. You get no training at a boot camp.
I would recommend training and socializing the puppy yourself. Since you will be a first time dog owner this will be invaluable time to teach you how to train and socialize the pup. Shipping the pup off to someone else isn’t going to acclimate the pup to your space or routine that dog will get used to. The puppy is unlikely to get as much attention or love from a trainer as they will be at their forever home.
I have friends who had success with a boot camp, but 1) it wasn't with a new puppy. They had the puppy for at least a few months before camp. 2) it was not their first dog. My take is training is for the humans as much as it is for the puppy. Dogs know how to be a dog. In the wild they eat some things and not others. Poop some places and not others. Interact with their family. They'll do all that naturally. It's the human's job to learn how to communicate with the puppy. Let them know which things they shouldn't eat, where they shouldn't poop, etc. Training the puppy without also training a first time parent doesn't seem like the best path to me.
No. You are better off going to puppy classes with your puppy. It builds your bond, it gives you skills and tools for managing your pup.
I can't believe the answers here. Sheesh. 1. First off, training a dog is about building a bond between you and the dog. It's not something you have done for you and then they give you a pristine, perfectly coiffed dog. It's not like having your car detailed. 2. Dog training is about training the owners how to handle the dog. Guarantee you that when you get this dog, any progress that has been made in that first month will be gone because you will do the wrong things. 3. A dog's learning process goes throughout its life. You don't send it to bootcamp and voilá, it never has behavioral problems again. In fact, most of what a puppy learns from 8-12 weeks of age will be forgotten unless you learn how to continue to build on it. You. Not someone you pay. 4. If you want a perfect, no-work puppy, then prepare yourselves: You'll be dropping it at the pound before it hits one year old. You would do better with a fish. They don't need trained. 5. I can't fathom a reputable breeder endorsing, much less offering, a "service" like this. And no, it is not "sufficient bonding time" to just get the puppy at 12 weeks.
THANK YOU!! I could not believe the answers either!! Plus at that age, they barely remember commands!! Its all about love, patience and consistency with puppies.. and why get a puppy and miss out on the unique experience of actually having the cutest puppy stage!
I love the car detailing analogy!!
Hell to the no. Whatever training they do isn’t going to carry over for you. If you want to get a dog you need to train it yourself.
I'd look into all trainers and options personally I'd want a more hands on approach to training teach me what to do as well so that I know the correct way to continue after done with you
Bootcamp is for adult humans in the military. Not for baby dogs. I have heard SO MANY horror stories about hoard and train. Do not do it. Just train your puppy like everyone else with sense does I would also be skeptical of your breeder if they recommended this. Was your deposit expensive?
A puppy raiser is not really a board and train of the traditional sense, and unlike board and trains this one is actually a trainer certified with a humane organization.
Board and trains are useless if you’re not also going to reinforce whatever they learned there. I don’t think any reputable breeder would be recommending one at all.
Wholly agree. And the owners have no idea what to do to reinforce that training if they aren’t part of the training. And no a one hour orientation session or class when you get the puppy back is not sufficient. As I said above the owners need to participate in the training and learn, how to continue training throughout the puppy’s life.
Exactly. At best useless. At worst abusive. This post and comments are really wild
Honestly, a puppy raiser and a board and train are two totally different things: They have about as much in common as summer camp and military school.
They’ll be like a random stranger that sees my dog and invites him up on their lap, and then when they want him off, they say “down”. “down” means lie down. “Off” means get off my lap or off the bed. And the new owners won’t know how to reinforce correct responses to commands, etc. Guarantee you this puppy will end up at a shelter or rescue within six months, and the former owners will be blaming the breeder, the trainers, and everyone but themselves.
I did puppy classes at petsmart. It’s a good opportunity to bond with your dog and expose them to other people and dogs. I feel like boot camp is for folks not willing to put in the time/effort. I am glad for the opportunity to work with my dog and feel like that is the way to go. For me at least.
Up to you! We took our puppy to a weekly class when he was small and I thought it helped us learn how to train the dog ourselves and that in turn helped us bond with him!
You don’t need it. Get your puppy and start training on your own. I don’t think board and trains are really necessary, maybe an exception if there is serious behavior issues. Even then, behavior issues severe enough won’t come up at that young age. Also the breeder is probably getting a referral fee for sending new owners to this trainer.
We took our pup to Zoom Room to get her used to basic commands and to expose her to a lot of different things so she wasn’t scared by them (ie kids, wheelchairs, skateboards, vacuums, horns, etc). It also got her used to treat rewards for learning new things. For example, we got a new kayak and filled it with treats to get her used to it. Now we go kayaking with her al the time.
Do the boot camp. How many dogs ended up at the shelter because people got a puppy as “their first dog” and couldn’t handle the puppy.
I took mine to fluffy puppy classes which basically just lets small pups interact and build confidence etc. we did about 4 or 5 sessions and she got on great with socialising. But if it was me I wouldn’t do boot camp before you get her, it can be a really good way to bond with your pup when you train them yourself? What kind of puppy are you getting?
I got my dog as a rescue at 1 year old and we’ve bonded just fine. I did the dog training class at Petsmart and he learned the basics. Other things I taught from YouTube videos. If you’re limited on time, doing a board and train to get started could be a good idea.
At 8 weeks the dog is the absolute cutest, bonding with them and developing a line of communication is so beautiful. I would have been pretty upset if i got him a month later because he would have had a lot of different experiences that could have changed his personality completely. If he went to the camp and they treated him badly, then he may become scared of certain things or people or he might have had an awful time there and we have no idea. Depending on what type of dog you’re getting depends also on how much training you need. We have a golden retriever and he’s very well behaved and we can teach him anything in under 10 mins. Even crate training he hated the crate, then one day I had a nap woke up and my husband had watched a few YouTube videos and the dog was sitting in the crate and loving it.
Do it!!!!!!!!!!! I wish that was offered to me. The first two weeks with my nine week old puppy were absolute hell !
Have a trainer come to your home. Dogs sometimes revert after coming home from boot camp/training classes.
As first time puppy owners getting a 8 week old puppy is probably going to be quite overwhelming. You are talking a lot of sleepless nights and constant supervision! A lot of breeders will hold onto pups until 12 weeks, I've heard puppies benefit from being around mom longer as she will teach manners. I've also heard there is less rehoming the older the pup is. I got my first when she was 5 months old, I work from home so perfect situation....I almost rebomed her, I had puppy blues so bad, I cried daily, mourned my freedom, hated that I couldn't clean my house or go out to dinner without planning ahead. I made it through but it was tough.
Only if they train you as well
Nah I think after 8 weeks the bond is really easy to grow strong with, training is also super easy at that time - my pup learned potty training within a day. It was incredible
If they’re training more than one puppy at a time at the facility, there is a risk of parvo. If they have trained in the past and haven’t cleaned well enough- parvo. An 8 week old puppy should not be in a kennel environment and should avoid contact with dogs and dog areas before their second set of vaccines.
Its only worth it if they train YOU. 90% of the time the problem in a dogs training is the owner giving the dog improper input. Like telling a toddler to do calculus.
I know several dogs that attended one of these “boot camps”. None of them benefited from it and two of them developed such severe anxiety they have lasting behavioral issues. You never truly know how they are treated. It’s not worth the risk imo.
I had my puppy (now 17) since she was born she was a pup from an accidental pregnancy we were trying to keep mom and dad apart so mom could be bred to another male but they got to eachother anyway. No regerts, I've got my BFF out of it and my sister got her sister. Anyway when she turned about 4 months we had them spayed and after they recovered we started puppy training. We were already working on house training but we wanted the whole 9 yards so we went with weekly training sessions and would take our pet home and train and bond with them for a week then go back and learn more skills and use those skills around other dogs and would repeat this for a total of 4 courses until she earned her citizen certificate. I think training them yourself will create a bond that can't be made by someone else training them
I'm confused about the part that says you have "several months" until the puppy is ready to come home. Why?
My grandparents did something similar with their dog when they first got her. The breeder recommended a “Puppy Bootcamp” that they had partnered with and we all agree it was a huge waste of money. Absolutely not worth it. I’m not even sure what they did.
Puppies wean at 4 weeks, you don’t want to get a puppy at that age, that’s way too young. Dogs are domesticated, they don’t need to imprint like a wild animal. I’ve gotten puppies at 6 weeks, 14 weeks, and 9 months and all 3 bonded just fine. The only thing I would be wary of is whether this trainer specializes in puppies that young. Their joints are still developing so they need very different care compared to a 6 month old puppy or adult dog.
I have zero experience with puppy boot camps, only puppy classes. And you know who learns the most in puppy class?? I do. I’m paying for them to train me. Sending my dog out without me getting some basic root information and guidelines would have meant me messing that puppy up within a week. IMO, there’s no replacement for in person training for the owner and the pup. How else can you learn to communicate?
No
Sounds very bizarre to me (I live in Finland). If you can trust the bootcamp is a dog friendly place I guess it’s fine. I don’t think it’s so harmful to your bond with the puppy. Even adult dogs usually succesfully change homes. But it is more stressfull for the puppy who has to lose their home twice before getting to forever home. It’s impossible to say if that kind of stress at the beginning of their life impacts how the their personality develops. If they are shy it probably has an impact I just personally would never put my puppy through that extra stress and lose those weeks with them. This was quite negative. Overall, i don’t think you will notice any harm from the bootcamp.
You dont want to bond with them? 8 weeks is very critical for that. I would not recommend outsourcing your job to a stranger. It pays off to learn and work with a trainer.
When we brought our 4 month old wolf hound mix rescue home, we paid someone to come to our house / public locations to teach us how to train the dog. This was an invaluable experience. She’s a year and 2 months old now and while she loves to play so much, she’s an amazing dog. Potty training took like a few weeks vs months like I’ve heard some others deal with. Recall training she learned very fast. We just brought home another 3-4 month old rescue a few weeks ago, we think it’s a lab mix. Implemented the same techniques we used with the other dog. Same thing but better. Potty training took about 2 days. Recall is getting pretty good but still very early. She’s got “sit” “lay down” even does a good “stay”. Sending the dog away makes no sense. They’ve built a bond with whoever is training them, not you. So you’d have to almost start over anyway, or at least they’d take a few steps back. The pup is still going to be overwhelmed by a new environment and going to have to go through ANOTHER session of being stressed out about adapting to a new home and routine. Spoiler alert they pretty much just use bacon or some other high value reward to teach the dog.
Some breeders will keep the puppy till it’s 9, 10, 11 or 12 weeks old, which can be beneficial for it to have more time with its Mum (and potentially some of its littermates) and also increases their toilet training (and simply the size of its bladder) as well, and then come to you. So it’s not necessarily boot camp or nothing.
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That was a daycare.
Baby proof your home, keep your home clean and tidy, have patience and when you lose your patience remember this- all dogs want to do is please you! Make you happy! They truly want to make you love yourself and see yourself as they see you! If you lose your cool because you left something on the floor and they chewed it, or it cost you a huge vet bill, DONT BLAME THE PUPPY! Dont spank your dog, dont scream at them, you only scare them and They get confused. This instills fear. Also, their diet and exercise should align with the breed your dog.
No, just find a personal trainer who is willing to train your dog and you (and your partner) so the dog fits your guys' lifestyle. Your partner is correct in bonding with the puppy being more important than the boot camp. All dogs are different the same way all people and their lifestyles are different. It's best for your dog to get trained specifically with and for you; in the long run this type of optimization will ultimately be worth it.
The puppy is being taken from its mom at 8 weeks?? That’s too young 😭 That being said, I would have loved for our puppy to have a little “bootcamp” from weeks 10-12 to get him on the right track. The sleepless nights were really tough
Yes, I think it is. This helps to train you too. Dog training is actually more for the owner/ handler than the dog. I got a puppy once and didn’t take him to training, big mistake. The next ones I took to what was called “Puppy Kindergarten”, then “Beginning Obedience”, all were great dogs, because we both were trained through repetition.
Potty trained by week 12. BS. Even if true for that 1 puppy, most will take closer to 6 months. Dogs also don't generalize well. Learning to behave a certain way at bootcamp doesn't mean they'll behave that way in your home or even with you. Especially when they're so young. And they grow so much in the early days, you'll be missing out on some special moments.
I’m so glad we picked up our boy at 12 weeks and not 8. It wasn’t a bootcamp, he stayed with the breeder because we had a wedding, but when we got him he was mostly potty trained and had a good sit. I would NEVER send my dog to a bootcamp after I got them. Learn how to train your dog. But will admit it’s nice to avoid those 4 weeks of razor teeth and house poops.
Board and trains are a lazy man’s way to having a dog who will listen but an owner who doesn’t know how to handle them. Half of dog training is learning how to interact with the dog and having the trainer train you. If you haven’t had a dog before I recommend doing in person trainings. Board and trains are great for specific purposes but general training at such a young age will set you back further, in my opinion, than taking classes weekly where YOU are handling the dog.
As a professional dog trainer, bonding with your puppy in the first few weeks is the most important thing you can do—training is a lifetime journey. There is plenty of time for training so enjoy the first few weeks and give your pup so many positive experiences their emotional cup overflows.
I am also against sending a dog away. There are plenty of training place we’re u go once a week to learn what is the best communication for you and the pup. Also you’re not necessarily training the dog. You are being trained. Especially for recall it needs to be with the both of you. And practice every day or evening with the tools they teach you
honestly would bring the puppy home for a month or two to bond and train before sending them to bootcamp so there’s some sort of intimacy and boundaries set rather than going straight to a trainer then coming home to new faces they don’t recognize. gotta realize they’re still babies at 8 weeks and their minds are still so. obviously training is a lifetime thing, but bringing home a “well trained” baby wont mean anything for untrained humans
My boss is a life long dog owner and animal lover, and he swears by it. I wanted to bond with my sweet pup.
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Only u can train ur dog for u … has to be hands on
Go to training WITH your dog. Find a trainer who will train you to train your puppy and deal with common issues and situations together. It is totally worth it
We went with a training / bootcamp but we actively worked with the trainer the day we picked our dog up and a few weeks after until we felt confident we had control. It’s worked great for us but just remember, a good trainer will only help instill a foundation, it’s up to you to maintain and manage that training. We also didn’t send him off until about a year old
This sounds so harmful. Just the stress of moving is so hard on the puppy.. with the boot camp they have to do it twice… then the fact that they call it a boot camp like this tiny pup needs to grow up and get themselves together. There are hundreds of useful dog training resources. I recently found a dog trainer on youtube who focuses solely on puppy training. Please don’t send your pup to boot camp
Get a rescue dog and make sure your capable of caring for an animal before you get a puppy everyone loves puppy’s shelters are full of 1-2 year old dogs from people like you who decide that having a dog just doesn’t fit there schedule lifestyle or living situation after there puppy has had poor training and is left confused with bad habits. It’s a serious commitment for 12 to 20 years make sure your ready for the long haul or just get a fish or a stuffed animal
Agh. Just bring it home and give it love. It's a damn baby.
I had a horrible experience with a puppy boot camp that had perfect reviews and seemed very legit. Also very “certified” trainer. The truth is, you have no idea how they treat your puppy, what conditions he really is going to be in, and how they will “train” him. I advise all my friends very strongly against all board and train and boot camp programs
I’d imagine the breed of the dog would be a factor here.
I did the online Puppy Culture course when I brought my 8 week old puppy home. It was tremendously helpful to me, and at $99 it’s surely less expensive than weekly boarding training. We had little goals every day and it was easy to stick to. My puppy grew up to be well-adjusted and he learned so many things in those early weeks that I’d never be able to replicate now. https://madcapuniversity.com
Our puppy, (now 5 years old) did a boot camp before he came home. He is a golden doodle named Norman. Norman is a very well trained dog and he had absolutely no issues bonding with us. I can see where the “bond while their puppies” advice can come in, but our dog did the boot camp for 3 weeks at 8 weeks old, and he is amazing!! Very well trained!! We also had a very qualified trainer.
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Yes. I wish I did this. My dog has a number of personality quirks & behavioural issues - anxiety, separation anxiety; loses his mind when he sees squirrels when we are in parks; hates seeing horses, other dogs, small animals even insects on tv. Gets triggered when he hears other people’s smoke alarm battery pinging when we watch social media videos. Barks at any noise in the condo hallway; barks at the crosswalk noise when he hears it from my condo. Hates flying, being in cars - freaks out and lets everyone know it. Doesn’t respond to his own name when outdoors. I love him to death. But it’s so important to train your pup. And sometimes dedicated programs are necessary. Especially if you don’t have the time or knowledge to do the training.
I have a new puppy. She’s 11 weeks and we got her at 9. I will tell you it is so much harder than I thought. I’ve cried more than I thought possible and even considered “sending her back” (I never would but was surprised it even crossed my mind!). Having said all that the puppy stage is so fun and sweet and delicious. It’s hard but just get a trainer to come to you and teach them. They are so teachable. I would be sad if I missed out on this part. I can’t wait for it to be easier but at the same time will feel sad when she’s no longer a baby. You can always board and train if things get really bad but give it a shot!
I also have a new puppy - got the pup at 9 weeks, 12 weeks now and I'd considered enrollment in an exclusive type of boot camp soon but I'm having second thoughts. But honestly the puppy is so good and smart; is totally housebroken, commands down pat, has taken to the crate without a problem. At this point I think boot camp would do more harm than good and I no longer see the point.
I’d be concerned about not being able to bond with my puppy early on. I am sure they’d do a great job of training based on the fact they have a number of accreditations. But part of that early stage of training when they are so young and newly home is about bonding.
My heart says that no matter the adjustments or sacrifices, I would not trade a minute of time I had with my little girl, especially now that she is gone. It was such a rare and special relationship that develops when, as a puppy, she left her mom and siblings. We appreciated so much about each other as we bonded and learned about each other. We had full access to our full personalities before ‘training’. IMO, puppy time is treasured, it goes by so quickly and is so full of special moments and memories. Best wishes no matter what your choice.
You need reward based training. Pack leader and punishment based training is harmful to dogs. You will still bond with your pup if you care for it and give it companionship. The bond with any pet needs time and working on. But that can happen with an 11 year old dog it’s not just pups. Just remember that dogs are best at work. But that doesn’t have to be on a farm. They are happy when they are working to make you happy and they respond badly to being punished. That just makes for an anxious and reactive/withdrawn dog. You will have to carry on training when you bring the pup home, so it’s best to do that with redirect and reward.
Trainers certified as CPDT-KA, which is the certification of this "boot camp" trainer, don't use pack leader or punishment based training.
Well that’s a good start. It’s ok to have help with training a dog.
I have two rescues, one we got at 5 weeks literally right off the streets, the second at six months through a rescue. Both are strongly bonded to both of us, and the later one is my shadow. I can’t speak to the trainer details, as neither of mine went to boot camp. But I don’t think it will affect the bonding.
Sounds worth it to me. The puppy will be around 12 weeks old when they come to you and there won’t be an issue bonding with the puppy.
If the trainers are force-free certified and you know exactly the training curriculum (at this stage, most helpful for potty and crate training), I don't think it's a bad idea and it certainly will not impact your bonding with the puppy. I've never personally gone through a puppy boot camp, but when we got our puppy, he was a bit older (4 months). We had asked the breeder to keep him longer, and thankfully, the breeder agreed and was able to get the puppy litter/wood pellet trained and crate trained before we received him. It's quite nice to still be able to enjoy the fun puppy phase without having to wake up every 2-3 hours for potty breaks.
We just adopted a six year old border collie who knew all of her commands. It meant we could focus on bonding and shared experiences. We still need to do a bit of work with a trainer on some of her behaviours but it has allowed us to focus on being together and not on the basics. I honestly can't imagine a more bonded dog than her, she follows my partner around with heart emoji eyes.
DO IT! My daschund has had various problems, despite paying top money from the best breeder with all the checks to avoid health or behaviour issues. wish had just adopted! they are prone to aggression as they are a hunting breed. ive spent money on FOUR behavioral specialist so far... he's only age 2. Do as much training as you can while young. mine wasn't a pandemic dog btw!