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Early Development Programme

PUPPY
FOUNDATIONS

The habits your puppy builds in their first months will define their behaviour for life. Give them the best possible start — socialisation, confidence, communication, and the groundwork that prevents problems before they form.

8–20 Weeks Ideal
4-Session Programme
Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
NePoPo Certified
Early Socialisation
Bite Inhibition
Confidence Building
NePoPo Certified
Foundation Obedience
Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
Early Socialisation
Bite Inhibition
Confidence Building
NePoPo Certified
Foundation Obedience
Newcastle & Lake Macquarie
Why Start Early

THE WINDOW
CLOSES FAST

Between 3 and 16 weeks, your puppy's brain is wiring itself at a rate that will never happen again. The experiences — good and bad — that happen during this critical window shape how your dog perceives the world for the rest of their life.

Most dog behaviour problems we see in adult dogs — reactivity, anxiety, fear, poor impulse control — have roots in what did or didn't happen in those early weeks. Not because owners didn't care, but because no one told them what mattered and when.

Puppy Foundations is designed to make the most of that window. Four structured sessions across the early months, covering the fundamentals that actually matter — and giving you the understanding to keep building on them at home.

  • New puppy owners who want to get things right from the start
  • Puppies between 8 and 20 weeks — though older puppies still benefit
  • Owners who've had difficult adult dogs before and want a different experience this time
  • Anyone who wants to understand puppy development, not just be handed a list of commands
  • Families with children who need to learn how to interact safely and confidently with the dog
  • Breeders or experienced owners who want a professional, structured start for a new addition
Programme Content

WHAT WE
COVER

🧠
How Puppies Learn

Understanding how your puppy actually learns — reinforcement, timing, association — so every interaction you have is working for you rather than against you. This changes everything.

🌍
Socialisation Done Right

Socialisation isn't just "exposure" — it's about quality experiences that build positive associations. We cover what to expose your puppy to, how to do it, and how to read when your puppy is coping versus overwhelmed.

😬
Bite Inhibition

Puppy biting is normal — but it needs to be addressed correctly and early. We'll show you how to teach your puppy to control the pressure of their bite and redirect appropriately, without creating anxiety around the behaviour.

💪
Confidence Building

A confident puppy is a resilient puppy. We work on novelty exposure, handling, independence, and the experiences that build a dog who can cope with the unexpected without falling apart.

🎯
Foundation Obedience

Sit, drop, stay, recall, loose lead walking, and impulse control — introduced at an age-appropriate level using methods that build focus and drive rather than just compliance.

🏠
Home Routines & Structure

Sleep, feeding, crate training, alone time, and the daily routines that set your puppy up for a calm, settled home life. Prevention of separation anxiety, resource guarding, and attention-seeking behaviours starts here.

Investment

THE
PROGRAMME

Puppy Foundations is offered as a complete 4-session programme only — not as individual sessions. The structured progression across sessions is what makes it effective. Sessions are spaced 2–3 weeks apart and conducted at your home.

4-Session Programme
Puppy Foundations
4 sessions · In your home
$420
Complete programme — no single sessions
  • 4 x structured in-home sessions spaced across your puppy's early development
  • Covers socialisation, bite inhibition, confidence, foundation obedience & home routines
  • Written recap and homework after every session
  • Message support between sessions
  • Tailored to your puppy's breed, temperament, and your household
  • Full family can be present — everyone learns together
Book Puppy Foundations
Timing

WHEN TO
START

The ideal window is 8–16 weeks — but don't let perfect be the enemy of good. A puppy at 20 weeks still benefits enormously from a foundations programme. An adult dog with no early training is simply harder work than it needed to be.

We space the four sessions roughly 2–3 weeks apart so there's time to practise what was covered before building on it. Each session has a clear focus and builds on the last — it's a programme, not four one-off appointments.

If your puppy hasn't yet had their full vaccination course, we work around this — first sessions can be conducted entirely at home, which is valid and valuable training regardless.

Questions

COMMON
QUESTIONS

8 weeks is the earliest we'd typically start. Before that, puppies are still in a critical bonding phase with their litter and mother. From 8 weeks, they're ready to start learning — and the sooner the better.
Yes. The first session (or first few sessions if needed) can be conducted entirely at home and in your secure backyard. There's plenty to cover before your puppy needs to be out in the world — and starting early is more valuable than waiting. We'll work around your vaccination timeline.
Not at all. The critical socialisation window officially closes around 12–16 weeks, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. Dogs continue learning throughout their lives — the foundations programme is still highly valuable for a 5–6 month old puppy who hasn't had structured training. The older they get without foundations, the harder some things become, but the investment is always worth it.
Because single sessions don't work for puppy development. The programme is structured to progress across a critical development window — what we cover in session one sets up session two, which sets up session three. Breaking that apart loses the compounding effect that makes the programme valuable. We also want to be sure we can support you properly through your puppy's early months, not just drop in once.
Absolutely — we encourage it. Training a puppy is a household project. If one person has all the skills and the rest of the family interacts differently with the dog, progress stalls. The more people present in sessions, the more consistent the handling at home will be.
All breeds, all sizes. The fundamentals of puppy development apply universally — though the application differs between a Border Collie and a Cavalier. We've worked with everything from toy breeds to large working dogs and tailor the approach accordingly.
Client Reviews

WHAT CLIENTS
ARE SAYING

★★★★★

"We went in thinking we'd get taught some commands. What we got was a proper understanding of how he learns. Changed how we interact with him every single day."

B
Ben & Emily
Adamstown
★★★★★

"Had the whole family in the sessions which was the best part honestly. We all handle her the same way now and she's so much more settled. No more mixed signals."

N
Nicole
Charlestown
★★★★★

"Starting early is genuinely the move. Four sessions in and our pup is already calmer, more focused and so much easier to handle. Wish we'd done this with our last dog."

T
Tim
Wallsend

DON'T WAIT
TOO LONG.

The early months go fast. Get in touch to book your puppy's foundations programme and make the most of the window.

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