I Dream of Doodles®

IDOD's Milestone Tracking & Training by Week

 

Going Home at 8 Weeks Old:

When your puppy goes home at eight weeks old, they will already have a strong foundation for success. At I Dream of Doodles, we begin potty training at four weeks old by introducing a designated potty area. This helps teach your puppy that there are specific places to go potty, rather than simply dropping and squatting wherever they are. By eight weeks, your puppy will also be familiar with grass pads for potty time.

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All of our puppies participate in daily group training and receive age-appropriate socialization to people and various sized pups. Around seven weeks, we begin short crate introduction sessions (15–20 minutes) with the comfort of their own Snuggle Puppy, which helps them learn self- soothing skills.

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Before going home, your puppy will have received a 4 week “NeoPar” vaccine, their first round of puppy vaccines (DAPPV), an intranasal Bordetella vaccine (for kennel cough) along with their first month of flea/tick and heartworm preventative.

At eight weeks old, puppies are full of energy and curiosity. Leaving their litter for the first time is a big transition, and it’s normal for them to go through an adjustment period. Your puppy will need consistent supervision, frequent potty breaks, and ongoing crate training at home to continue building healthy routines. (Base Price $2500)

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Going Home at 9 Weeks Old:

By the time your puppy goes home at the nine week point, you will notice an improvement in their crate training behaviors. Crate sessions will now be more frequent, gradually extending to one- to two-hour increments. Puppies will also continue their grass pad acclamation for potty time, reinforcing the idea that there are specific, designated areas for bathroom breaks.

At this stage, your puppy will have a solid introduction to grooming tools such as the brush and a metal-tooth comb, as we use them regularly during photo sessions and routine coat care. If your puppy has been given a name, they will often be able to recognize and recall it by this point.

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Because attention spans are still short at nine weeks, training sessions remain brief and are spread throughout the day. Each puppy participates in daily group training sessions, helping to build social skills and reinforce learned behaviors.  During this stage, puppies are also introduced to “manding”, learning to sit politely for a treat or acknowledgment. (Base Price $3000)

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Going Home at 10 Weeks Old:

At 10 weeks old, puppies begin to show longer attention spans, which makes training more effective. Eye contact increases, helping them connect with their trainer and learn more quickly.

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At I Dream of Doodles, we now begin 2-4 hour crate training sessions with the anticipation of minimal crying and a dry crate. Puppies continue practicing simple commands such as “down” and “no jump”, while refining their understanding of “sit” at the right times.  Your puppy will also be introduced to short leash walks on different surfaces—including grass, decks, leaves, and rocks—helping them build confidence in new environments. Training includes both group sessions and one-on-one sessions to strengthen skills and socialization.At this stage, families begin receiving weekly updates, including your puppy’s current weight, a short video, and photos to capture their progress.

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The 10-week mark is a turning point: puppies become a bit more settled, yet are still soaking up everything like little sponges. It’s also a wonderful age for them to transition home—young enough to adapt easily to new routines, while ready to bond and learn with their forever family. (Base Price $3500)

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Going Home at 11 Weeks Old:

When your puppy goes home at 11 weeks old, they will have a solid foundation in crate training, comfortably managing sessions of 4 to 5 hours. Each day we continue to build on refinement and impulse control, helping them become more reliable and responsive to simple commands.

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At this stage, your puppy will also be introduced to the high- velocity dryer and experience a feet, face, and fanny trim while on the grooming stand—your groomer will thank us later!  Throughout the day, your puppy will participate in group training and multiple one-on-one training sessions, as well as an outdoor leash walk that helps them to feel more comfortable on the leash. Our goal is to begin refining their outdoor skills. We also work on distraction training, teaching your puppy how to recover quickly and appropriately respond in different situations. Early foundations of bite inhibition and impulse control are established. (Base Price $4000)

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Going Home at 12 Weeks Old:

When your puppy completes their stay at I Dream of Doodles at the 12-week mark, the transition to home life becomes much less intense and more natural. Crate training sessions have now progressed, preparing your puppy for a peaceful and dry overnight routine.  Leash walking takes place twice daily, paired with one-on- one training sessions throughout the day. Group training continues as well, ensuring your puppy balances socialization with structure. By this stage, we expect and anticipate respectful leash walking with outdoor potty breaks.

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Your puppy is also becoming more comfortable with all the tools of grooming, making care easier for both you and your groomer. They respond reliably to simple commands—even with light distractions—showing just how far they’ve come in their training journey.

 

At 12 weeks, your puppy is officially an I Dream of Doodles Puppy Academy Graduate! This is your refined, well- prepared puppy.  Before going home at the 12 week mark, each puppy will have received their second round of puppy vaccines (DAPPV) and will have completed the Bordetella vaccines for the year. The second monthly dose of flea/tick and HW preventative will be given before they go home.

 

All Puppy Academy Graduates go home with our Complete Puppy Package, plus a properly fitted harness, a treat pouch and the Puppy Academy Resource Guide to help you seamlessly continue training at home. (Base Price $4500)