Week 1 – Laying the Foundation
This is where everything starts.
Week 1 isn’t about flashy obedience or trying to “fix” everything at once. It’s about building the foundation that all real training is built on—focus, engagement, and clear communication.
Right now, we’re teaching the dogs:
- How to pay attention
- How to work for rewards
- What the markers mean (“Yes” = come get it, “Good” = stay in it)
- How to start learning through guidance instead of guessing
This is also where we start shaping mindset—both for the dog and ultimately for you as the owner.
Most behavior issues don’t come from stubborn or “bad” dogs…They come from a lack of clarity and structure.
So instead of jumping ahead, we slow things down and do it right:
- Build engagement first
- Make learning make sense
- Create a dog that wants to work
Everything you’ll see later—obedience, off-leash control, real-world reliability—comes from what’s happening right here.
If this part is done right, everything else becomes easier.