Puppy Camp is a program where your puppy comes and stays at our facility for 4-weeks, 8-weeks, or 12-weeks in length. This is referred to as 'Board-and-Train,' because your puppy will be boarding overnight, and training 7-days a week, from course start till graduation. This immersion into a learning environment is how we can train young dogs to such a high standard at a young and impressionable age. Imagine, a team of experienced dog training professionals, dedicated to working with your puppy, 7-days a week.
Our focus is on teaching dogs and puppies to be excellent pets, family companions, and manners for living in the home.
Puppies that graduate from our Puppy Camp become super learners; because they will develop focus and learn how to engage processes for extended periods of time. Many of the puppies that graduate from our Puppy Camp will excel at therapy work, dog sports, and be capable of higher levels of learning, due to this type of foundation training.
The Puppy Camp we offer is unlike anything you will find, worldwide. This inboard camp will immerse your puppy into obedience training exercises, structured learning activities, confidence building, and provide social experiences that will create a foundation that will shape and mold your puppy for life.
Puppy Obedience Training (imprinting) - Practical and necessary commands for daily living. In this course your dog will learn to walk on a leash at your side without pulling, sit-stay, down-stay, 'come' when called, 'wait' at doors, go into a kennel on command, and more!
Pack Socialization - A puppy needs to be able to co-exist within the pack and have proper play style. Campers get to run and play in groups of dogs, learning how to act in a pack, and take direction from human pack leaders. Group play and pack exercises are not intended to solve or address dog aggression. If a dog is aggressive, it may be excluded from pack socialization.
Physical Conditioning - Puppy boot camp training means the pups are working hard, both mentally and physically. A tired, well exercised dog is happier and will absorb more in the training phase.
Treadmill Training for puppies - We introduce the treadmill at a young age so when your puppy matures, you can use the treadmill for year-around exercise. This serves a benefit during the training process, it boosts confidence by teaching your puppy to walk on a new/different surface, and it enables the owner long-term to supplement their dog's exercise regimen.
Confidence Building - Obstacle courses, environmental stability, and dealing with adversity is why we call this puppy camp. Dogs learn to work through various conditions that build confidence such as jumping in/out of vehicles, and going up/down stairs.
Proper Etiquette - Meet and greet human companions without jumping up, and to wait at the door until given a command to enter.
Field Trips - Puppies enrolled for the 12-week course will go into public places the final month of training for distraction proofing, public-etiquette, and conditioning to environmental stimulus. This includes stopping and sitting automatically at a crosswalk, holding stationary positions when people or cars pass, and responding to commands in an urban environment.
Video Proof - At the end of boot camp, we create a YouTube video of your dog, demonstrating their ability to wait in a kennel, run on a treadmill, and respond to obedience commands for male/female trainers. This video illustrates our high standard of training, proving your dog's ability to follow commands.
Handler Training - Each one of our puppy camp programs includes handler training and instruction at graduation. Handler training is a daylong seminar, with hands-on training for owners. Each client or family will learn about the training their puppy has received, how/when to use the commands, and proper reinforcement of the training. Handler instruction includes a YouTube seminar of the instruction, as well as a video demonstration of the owner's dog performing the commands, written instructions, a daylong seminar + hands on training, 2-hours of post course completion coaching (group or private session), and lifelong support from the Academy.
Upon completion of puppy camp, your dog will receive a certificate of completion in recognition from the Academy.
4-week Puppy Boot Camp ($4200)
The 4-week puppy camp establishes proper responses to obedience commands while working in a controlled environment. During the four-week course each puppy will perform hundreds of repetitive exercises, developing permanent command associations, learning, and mastering proper responses to commands. Puppies will learn name recognition, sit, down, stay, walking on-leash without pulling, and not jumping on the handler. The daily routine will include play groups to provide a healthy outlet for energy, and socialization with other friendly dogs. The 4-week puppy camp covers basic ON-LEASH obedience. All the training is on campus in a controlled environment (no distractions), working one-on-one with a trainer.
4-week commands include: Name (eye contact), sit, down, stay, wait at doors, place (go to bed and rest), come when called (on-leash / close distance), go into a kennel, and heel (walking on-leash). General etiquette like not jumping on humans or mouthing/nipping.
4-week considerations: This course is a basic obedience course that will teach a puppy the meaning of obedience commands. This course does NOT include any form of off-leash commands/training (example “come” when off-leash), drop-it command, treadmill training, and there is no distraction proofing or field trips.
* Age: 4-12 months of age. If your dog is over 12 months, see the Dog Boot Camp program.
**No pre-requisites are required for this course.
Note: A $200/month fee will be applied to the puppy boot camp prices for giant breed puppies needing a colossal size crate.
8-Week Puppy Boot Camp ($6800)
The 8-week puppy camp covers everything described in the 4-week camp; however, during weeks 4-8 dogs will begin working outdoors learning how to respond to commands under distraction, undergo obedience drills with simulated distractions, sit automatically when you come to a stop, get in/out of a vehicle on command (if your dog is large enough or physically able), participate in OFF-LEASH exercises to come when called, go on nature hikes on campus, treadmill training, and learn a drop-it command.
8-week commands include: Name (eye contact), sit, down, stay, wait at doors, place (go to bed and rest), come when called (off-leash), go into a kennel, drop-it, and heeling (walking on-leash). General etiquette like not jumping on humans or mouthing/nipping.
8-week considerations: The 8-week course teaches an off-leash recall (come when called from a distance), drop-it, training outdoors for an added level of distraction proofing, and treadmill training. The 8-week course does NOT include field trips into the city, or off-leash heeling.
* Age: 4-12 months of age. If your dog is over 12 months, see the Dog Boot Camp program.
**No pre-requisites are required for this course.
Note: A $200/month fee will be applied to the puppy boot camp prices for giant breed puppies needing a colossal size crate.
12-Week Puppy Boot Camp ($8800)
The 12-week puppy camp covers everything described in the 8-week camp; however, during weeks 8-12 dogs will go into public places the final month of training for distraction proofing, public-etiquette, and conditioning to environmental stimulus. This includes stopping and sitting automatically at a crosswalk, holding stationary positions when people or cars pass, and responding to commands in an urban environment. Training also includes long-distance OFF-LEASH recall exercises, OFF-LEASH heeling next to the handler, and duration building to teach the dog to follow commands like down/stay, place, and focus exercises to further develop impulse control.
12-week commands include: Name (eye contact), sit, down, stay, wait at doors, place (go to bed and rest), down from a distance, come when called (off-leash with distractions), go into a kennel, drop-it, and heeling (walking next to handler on and off-leash). General etiquette like not jumping on humans or mouthing/nipping.
12-week considerations: This camp includes field trips into the city for distraction proofing, off-leash heeling (where permitted), and longer distance recalls. If two dogs from the same household are enrolled for the 12-week, the owner can choose for them to work tandem (together) instead of off-leash heeling.
* Age: 4-12 months of age. If your dog is over 12 months, see the Dog Boot Camp program.
**No pre-requisites are required for this course.
Note: A $200/month fee will be applied to the puppy boot camp prices for giant breed puppies needing a colossal size crate.
Owner Training - Included In All Levels of Puppy Boot Camp (priceless)
In order for ANY form of dog training to be successful, it is important for owners to understand how a dog learns from the training, how and when to use commands, and how to handle a dog lifelong in the real world.
Handler training for the owner(s) is a half-day process, where we teach how and when to use the commands, how a dog will continue to learn life-long, and the owner's role of influencing and reinforcing their dog's behavior returning home. The success of our camp comes in two forms; training for the dogs AND training for the owners.
Enrollment:
Due to the rigorous training involved, spots are limited. Start dates for this program are as follows:
12/01/24 | 0 spots remaining (sold-out)
12/29/24 | 2 spots remaining
01/26/25 | 3 spots remaining
02/23/25 | 6 spots remaining
**Last Updated on: 12/18/2024**
Get Started
To register:
1. Submit a training enrollment form (see yellow "Get Started" button above).
2. We will email you an electronic contract & credit card payment form for the deposit. The deposit is 50% of the cost of the course. Sign the contract and provide payment (Visa/MasterCard) for the deposit.
3. A behavioral questionnaire, health form, and list of required items will be emailed to you. Complete the questionnaire and have your vet sign the health form. Both need to be returned a week before camp begins.
4. Arrive on the scheduled start date with your dog and items.
In 2007, when our puppy camp course came to be, we were one of the few in the Midwest offering this service. Over the years, we have seen franchise pop-ups, and other trainers imitate this course. We have created the industry standard, often referred to as the ‘Ivy League' of puppy training schools, and for good reason. We include a comprehensive learning process for dogs, utilizing all four quadrants of operant conditioning, distraction proofing, impulse control, physical conditioning, pack socialization, and more. We provide video proof of every puppy that graduates from our Academy, published to YouTube (publicly). We also understand the importance of owner training; ensuring a lifetime of happiness, freedom, and the ability for dogs to go more places, and be a bigger part of the family.
Our facility is conveniently located in Hugo, Minnesota. We are 28 miles from downtown Minneapolis or 22 miles from St. Paul (Twin Cities, MN). We receive dogs from all over the country and can arrange shipping and receiving from the Minneapolis International Airport (MSP). The in-board training or board-and-train options we provide allow you to enroll your puppy for camp, even if you are not close to our Academy.
We are certain you will see a positive impact in your puppy returning home. Don't take our word for it - See what clients are saying about Neuman K-9 Academy!
Other pages you may find helpful:
Neuman K-9 Academy FAQs
Dog Training Articles
To see recent graduates of the academy click here --> Dog Video and Pictures Gallery
Click here to learn 10 Key Benefits of Our Puppy Boot Camp.
