Professionally, trained puppies, and gentle reminders!

I recorded a short voiceover to walk through some of the most important habits and routines we use with our professionally trained puppies. This is meant as a gentle reminder for families—especially if you feel like you might be riding the struggle bus a bit after bringing your puppy home.

The effort you put in during this critical transition period directly impacts the dog you’ll have long-term. When structure is maintained, these puppies tend to receive constant compliments, show strong social skills, listen well inside the home, and grow into wonderful companions—or successful service and working dogs.

I’ll be the first to admit that my routine can feel very “OCD,” but there’s a reason for it. Time and time again, both my personal dogs and my client dogs thrive when a clear, structured schedule is maintained. Consistency creates clarity, and clarity creates confidence in your dog.

The biggest factor in a high transfer success rate is keeping things calm, clear, and consistent—especially during the first week home. I know it’s exciting to take your new puppy everywhere and show them off (and I love that for you), but when you do, your handling and commands need to be just as consistent as they were during training. Your puppy needs to feel that their leader is confident, fair, and capable of guiding them.

Without that structure, roles can unintentionally reverse—and puppies are more than happy to step into the leadership position if given the opportunity.

Investing in a professionally trained puppy means committing to the follow-through. One of the hardest things to see is all of that foundation work unravel because the structure wasn’t maintained at home. When that happens, social skills decline, training gets sloppy, and everyone feels frustrated.

If you’re struggling, please reach out—I want to help. Just know that real change requires real adjustments. When families are willing to tweak routines and stay consistent, the turnaround can be incredible.

I truly hope this voiceover (and the reminders below) help not only our trained-puppy families, but anyone who wants a calmer, happier, more successful dog at home.

Structure & Boundaries Checklist

(This is the “good stuff” that keeps trained puppies on track)

🐾 Daily Structure Essentials

• Consistent schedule for meals, potty breaks, training, play, and rest

• Calm transitions between activities (no constant hype or chaos)

• Clear expectations every single day—no “sometimes” rules

🍽 Feeding & Resource Control

• Feed all meals in the crate (builds routine, neutrality, and value for the crate)

• No free-feeding

• Use meals for engagement or training when appropriate

• Food comes from leaders, not children or random guests

🛏 Crate Use (Not a Punishment)

• Crate for:

• Meals

• Overnight sleep

• Decompression after outings

• When overstimulated

• Teaches off-switch, independence, and emotional regulation

🛋 Furniture & Space Boundaries

• No furniture access unless explicitly invited

• Puppy earns privileges through calm behavior

• Floors and dog beds are neutral, safe resting places

🧍‍♂️ Place Command & Decompression

• Use Place daily:

• During meals

• While guests are over

• When the house is busy

• This is mental decompression, not punishment

• Helps prevent shadowing, anxiety, and over-attachment

🧠 Mental Stimulation (Not Just Physical)

• Short training sessions daily (5–10 minutes)

• Engagement games, leash work, structured walks

• Mental work tires a puppy far more effectively than chaos play

🚶 Leash & Outings

• Calm leash exits and entries

• Structured walks > wandering walks

• Puppy walks with you, not ahead making decisions

😴 Whining & Self-Soothing Training

• Do not reinforce whining with attention

• Teach puppies how to settle themselves

• Calm behavior = access to interaction

🧭 Leadership & Consistency

• Commands are clear and enforced

• No repeating commands endlessly

• Calm, confident guidance—not frustration or emotion

Final Reminder for Families 🤍

A trained puppy is not “finished”—they’re educated. Your job is to protect that education. When structure is maintained, these dogs shine. When it slips, confusion sets in.

If you ever feel overwhelmed, reach out. Just come ready to implement changes—because consistency is what turns a trained puppy into an exceptional dog.

https://youtu.be/CP_filof5IU?si=lkaHI3hq6xTZpBF6