Got a a busy schedule, a hectic household, or a trickier-than-normal pup? Let us make the puppyhood experience more pleasant for you and your puppy, with a fully customized Instinct Washington D.C. Puppy Raising program.
Remember: Puppies are still BABIES! They have so much to learn about the human world in which they live. Puppy Camps allow us to lay a fantastic foundation for skills, manners, & daily routines, but puppies will not return from puppy camp fully potty trained or perfectly ‘obedient’.
Note: Puppy camps are not suitable for pups displaying extreme levels of separation-related distress and vocalization lasting longer than 30-40 minutes when left alone. In such cases, we work together via Private Coaching sessions instead. If you are uncertain whether your pup falls into this category, a trainer can help assess your pup’s behavior further during your kickoff consultation.
“Instinct Dog Training came to my rescue [with puppy camp] when I had a fall inside my house, pulling more muscles than I knew I had, and found myself unable to care for my new puppy. My puppy not only benefited from the excellent training, she also learned to be part of a happy family of kids, a pet dog three times as big as she was, and a whole neighborhood of dogs who came for training and playtime. It was just what my puppy and I both needed.”
Your coach will:
You will:
Instinct Washington D.C.’s Puppy Camp + Coaching programs cost $1775/week and are specially designed for puppies ages 9-20 weeks (we may accept small breed pups up to 6 months of age). Programs last between 1-4 weeks and include private coaching sessions for you, plus lifetime access to free alumni benefits.
Or, feel free to reach out to us at 202-796-9337 or [email protected], to learn more about our kickoff consultation options and other puppy development programs. We’d love to hear from you!
“I have a Rottweiler pup that was not very well socialized when she came to us at 10 weeks of age. She came from a rural setting into an environment with zero grass, lots of loud noise (freeway, planes, trains, and motorcycles) and exponentially more people. Jessica W. patiently answered all of my questions, and, through weeks of training, my hyper-vigilant pup has grown into a pretty confident dog who can finally relax enough to have fun! Jessica is kind, non-judgmental, professional and courteous. It is readily apparent that she is passionate about pups. Thank you, Jessica, for giving Nola the push that she needed to relax and enjoy life. We really appreciate it and you!”
“Jess Stone was absolutely fantastic with Glitchie (g), my little rescue. G was a pandemic puppy and while incredibly playful, was very nervous about encountering people and dogs in our housing area, which manifested as aggression. Jess by was great; I watched G pick up life-skills to help her diffuse her energy and anxieties in amazing ways. She was patient, kind, but also vigilant while I got used to the steep learning curve of dealing with a very energetic and leash aggressive dog. It’s been over 5 months since we did training, and g has retained all the life-skills Jess taught her. I look forward to booking follow-ups in the future. I can’t recommend Jess highly enough!”
Puppies live in a loving home with a highly trained, professional Instinct Puppy Raiser.
Yes! All puppy camps include visits/lessons, along with lots of photos and progress reports.
Puppies enjoy a predictable, structured daily schedule that includes walks, playtime, training time, socialization experiences, snuggle time, and crate time/quiet time.
This depends on your training goals, length of program, and puppy’s age, but generally, we focus on starting to get your pup on a house training schedule, getting them comfy in a crate or pen, exposing them to sights, sounds, people, and other dogs in a safe, positive manner, and working on basic puppy manners including chew toy training and basic puppy obedience skills.
Humans and their dogs form strong, lasting bonds at all stages of life, whether starting at 8 weeks as a brand-new puppy, or at 5-6 years old as an adult rescue dog. You & your pup will have a lifetime of love and adventures to share together; allowing your pup to learn from experts at this critical stage of development will help ensure they grow into a happy, confident companion.
Yes! We follow the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior guidelines for puppy socialization and training. Pups must have received their first round of vaccinations at least one week prior to starting a Puppy Raising program, and then must follow the booster schedule prescribed by their veterinarian.
Puppy Camps typically range from 1-4 weeks, based on your goals and how long you can handle being away from your pup 
.
We use only positive, puppy-friendly training methods that focus on building your pup’s confidence, teaching them that the world is a safe place, and helping them develop a lifelong love for learning and training. All Puppy Raisers undergo extensive training in puppy development and are certified trainers, or have earned a Karen Pryor Academy Puppy StartRight® certificate or Karen Pryor Foundations certificate. All Puppy Raising programs are overseen by certified trainers and behavior consultants with years of experience helping young pups get a great start in life.
