Why do most puppy programs start too late?
Most puppy schools start around week 10 or 11, weeks after the puppy has moved in. By then the puppy has already worked out how the household runs: when they get attention, where they sleep, what they can chew, what counts as an emergency. The first month went to surviving, not training.
The Good Puppy Blueprint starts before the puppy walks through your door. Pre-arrival, it shows you what to set up, what to agree on with everyone in the house, and what the first week looks like. From day one, you and the puppy are running the same playbook.
What the 9 weeks cover
Pre-arrival (Parts 1 and 2)
The bigger picture first. What a "good dog" actually is, and the six factors that produce a "bad" one. The PACE framework that organises the puppy's day: PLAY, ANCHOR, CALM, EXPLORE. The Still Waters model for arousal. Everything you do in the first nine weeks is built on this.
Then the practical preparation: the puppy-proofing checklist, the CALM crate setup, the family chat about consistent rules, and the two key principles to remember when the puppy lands.
Weeks 1 to 9 (Part 3)
- Week 1, settling in: naming the four PACE modes (PLAY, ANCHOR, CALM, EXPLORE). Crate-trained by week's end. No walks yet.
- Week 2, gentle exposure: Socialisation Bingo from inside the CALM area. Building confidence without overwhelm.
- Week 3, toilet and crate done: early socialisation milestones, both pillars holding.
- Week 4, long-leash freedom: cycles introduced. PLAY for bond. Long-line EXPLORE in safe spaces.
- Week 5, recall and play: teething, recall steps, and how to use PLAY for impulse control.
- Week 6, daily routine as cycles: the PACE modes locked into a daily flow. Harness prep for ANCHOR.
- Week 7, understanding leash walking: ANCHOR introduced, the clock positions on the lead.
- Week 8, walking on the leash: the three rules. No short-lead walks until now.
- Week 9, what's next: what to expect from 16 weeks to adolescence and beyond.
The two video check-ins
It's not just video lessons. Two 20-minute personal video calls with me are included, usually around week 8 and week 10 of your puppy's life. We go through what's working, what's not, and where to focus next. Bring a list of questions, or film a sticky moment and we troubleshoot it together.
What's actually included
- Lessons designed to be completed before puppy arrives home
- 9 weekly lessons through the critical socialisation window
- Two 20-minute personal video calls with Diona
- Weekly Socialisation Bingo cards (printable)
- Weekly training logs (printable)
- Email support throughout the access window
- 105 days (15 weeks) of access to the course
Who this is for
The Good Puppy Blueprint is built for new puppy owners who want to do this once and do it right. It works particularly well for:
- First-time dog owners (most clients)
- Anyone returning to puppy ownership after some years off
- Households with kids or older dogs already at home
- Families who can't get to in-person puppy school easily
- Owners who want the methodology underneath the commands, not just a checklist
Who this isn't for
If your puppy is already past 12 weeks of age, the program will still help, but the early-week material is built around pre-arrival and the first week home. Private dog training may be a better fit. If your dog is already adolescent or adult, definitely private training.
Secure online enrolment. Start before your puppy comes home.