Available for puppies 12- 24 weeks. Critical Puppy Socialization or Puppy Kindergarten is a specialized, trainer led day-time program emphasized on making sure puppies are getting the essential developmental exposure and meeting their appropriate milestones even while their families are busy at work!
To have a healthy, well-adjusted, happy dog you have to first have a mentally engaged and well-socialized puppy.
Every puppy's developmental needs vary. Get set up with a consultation with a trainer to discuss the program, and how you can combine it with foundational training to give your puppy the best possible foundation!
What makes Our critical Puppy Socialization Special?
Critical Puppy Socialization is Daycare with a Focus on Careful, Focused Cognitive Development.
Includes:Daycare, Potty Training, Crate Training, and Puppy Enrichment Socialization*.
Your puppy will join our traditional daycare routine, playing in a group of other puppies, but in addition we are going to focus on building the solid, healthy foundation they need outside of formal training for their future. At minimum, they will do (2) enrichment socialization activities per day!
**Examples of Enrichment Socialization: Puzzle Learning, Name- Game, Body Handling Desensitization (putting on harness, touching toes, touching ears), Grooming Desensitization (exposure to bath tub, grooming clippers sound, nail dremmel sound, brushing), Car Desensitization, Field Trips to Dog Friendly places Lowe's, Frying Pan Park, Ellanor C. Lawrence Park), Meeting New People, Exposure to new noises (real, and played via speakers), among others!
At the end of every day, you will receive a report card detailing: what your puppy did, how they responded to it, and what we think would be best for their individualized socialization needs moving forward.
This program can be done to supplement training, in-between puppy group class days, between Week Day Drop Off Training weeks (which focuses on more formal training).
why is it worth it?
From the ages of 6 weeks to approximately 24 weeks, your puppy is aging, changing, and learning at an unprecedented rate.
For your puppy to be well adjusted, socialized, and happy in the long-term, you need to invest time in their socialization YOUNG! We are here to help you make sure that during the day, you are making the most of their developmental periods.
An appropriately socialized puppy now, is a happy dog later!
Daily prices + packages
Full Day (1): $50 - includes daycare, potty/crate training, 2 socialization enrichment activities, and an end of day report card
Packages: 5 Full Days: $245 10 Full Days: $480 20 Full Days: $920
What to expect/ Daily Schedule?
We are primarily a training facility so our goal in playtime and socialization is to provide a structured play environment that will benefit the dogs and puppies throughout their lives! We are not a free play facility. Our puppies and dogs play, then settle in a crate for mid-day break, go for an outside walk to potty, then return to play again. We maintain this schedule to curate both effective amounts of exercise and a tired dog, but also a calm state of mind with opportunities to break/ relax from the other dogs.
Schedule:
6:30 AM- First Drop offs!
8 AM - Potty walks and Snoozing!
8 AM- 12 PM -Play group- Let’s gooooo!
12 PM- 2 PM -Potty Walks, Lunches, and Naps*
2 PM - End of Day - Back at it for play group!
6 PM- 6:30PM- Last call for pick ups!
*Note, we are not a crate-free daycare and we do use appropriately sized crates for naps, breaks, and to create safe spaces as needed!
Playgroups are matched by:
-Size, Temperament & Play style -Range from 5-15 dogs, depending on suitability -Are fully supervised
Requirements and ground rules
(1) All dogs require an evaluation by a trainer to discuss history and suitability prior to joining our playgroups
We are able to provide both training and boarding services to dogs that struggle with behavioral issues such as: dog reactivity/ aggression, resource guarding, human selectivity, etc., but these dogs are not suitable for playgroup-only settings!
In order to be considered suitable for play groups, dogs need to be in appropriate health, and can not display aggressive behavior towards people or other dogs. For severe issues impacting the safety of dogs or humans, we may ask your dog to immediately leave the daycare and not return for playgroup.
For less severe issues, we work on a three chances policy and will let you know if your dog is struggling or has received a mark because of their behavior. Examples of “marks” are things that make the play inappropriate or unsustainable for productive exercise and learning.
Examples of things that might incur “marks”: Starting fights, antagonizing/ crowding/ obsessing over a particular dog, guarding a staff member or entrance, humping excessively, excessively rough play, resource guarding of any type, or anything that prevents appropriate play in the group and can not be interrupted with gentle redirection.
(2) All dogs must be kept up to date on all required vaccinations and a copy of the current vaccination record from a veterinarian is required.
Required vaccinations are: DHPP/ DHLPP, Bordetella, and Rabies. We do also require a Negative Fecal sample.
Recommended, but not required: Canine Influenza vaccination
(3) All dogs over 12 months of age must be spay/ neutered to join our playgroups*
We do not require all dogs to be spayed/ neutered to join for training, or overnight boarding
*Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis
(4) Any dog in heat is not permitted to join playgroups
(5) Any dog showing symptoms of contagious illness of any type is not permitted in playgroup and need to stay home for the health and safety of all their friends! Please keep them home if there are any noted symptoms including: respiratory illness symptoms, acute vomiting/ diarrhea, puppy warts, and similar! If you drop your dog off and symptoms are noted, we will call you to pick them up.
(6) Any playgroup dog not picked up by 6:45 pm will automatically be checked into overnight boarding
(7) If your dog needs lunch, meals, or snacks, during playgroup days, please bring them with them with any instructions!
(8)Appointments are required. If you arrive without an appointment and we are fully booked for the day, you may unfortunately be sent away. Please book in advance!
(9) Minimum age for puppies is 10 weeks for our Critical Puppy Socialization Daycare Option. For younger puppies, consider 30-min private lessons for socialization opportunities with decreased contact and our AKC Puppy S.T.A.R Group Classes. We follow the guidance of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) for how, and when to socialize. The critical socialization period for your puppy is between 6 weeks and 20 weeks!
