Not sure which package is right for you? Questions about a custom tailored plan for your dog? I'd love to talk with you! Please enter all your information on the Phone Consultation form.
I look forward to speaking with you at our scheduled time!
-Kay
Headstart to Home - Starlight Bernedoodle Puppies! $0.00
This is for Starlight Bernedoodle puppies who have completed the headstart program!
Zoom call with Kay to talk about what your puppy learned during the Headstart program and how you can help them best transition home and towards the future.
You will receive an additional email with the Zoom link and information.
Looking forward to speaking with you soon!
This is the perfect option for a mostly well-trained pup who just needs a refresher, or touch-up.
We can work on a specific simple behavior, getting faster responses, off-leash work or basic manors! This is a great package to utilize during vacation times.
Why stick with regular boarding, when your pup can be learning while you are relaxing?.
Includes one private in-person or video session during boarding and one private session after the dog returns home.
Board and Train 2 Week Basic "Bright Beginnings" Package $175.00
With this two-week program, you’ll bring home a puppy who already knows the basics! Puppies will learn: Focus, Come, Sit, Down, Touch, Spin, Stay, Wait, On Your Bed, and In Your Crate. They’ll also be introduced to Leave-It and Drop-It commands and will perform cues with both hand and verbal signals. On top of all this; they also get started with loose-leash walking, (a ‘heel’ command’), and will come home with a leash and harness fitted to them!
Your puppy will have polite house manners, including not jumping on people, waiting politely at doors and for food, and sitting automatically for attention. They’ll also be crate and potty trained, ready to continue intermediate obedience training.
This package requires either the HeadStart Training Package (1.) or an additional week of training.
2 week package includes one private in-person or video session during boarding and one private session after the dog returns home. You will also receive access to my continuing education online training course, “Headstart To Home.”
Board and Train 4 Week Intermediate 'Paws and Play' Package $171.43
Want to have your pup and pet them, too?? (Did you get my pun?? 😅)
This is the package for the pet parent who wants the best of everything!
With this package, your pup will learn everything in the two week basic puppy board and train. They will come to me at eight weeks and we will begin their crate training, potty training, and all of the other things right on schedule. At 10 weeks they go home to you, just like the regular two week board and train.
Here is where we switch it up!
Your puppy stays with you for the next 6 weeks while you get to know them and bond during those sweet puppy days. We will regularly check in through this time.
Once your new fur baby is fully vaccinated (16-18 weeks is ideal) then they come back to me for all the intermediate work! Getting your pup stable in public and walking effortlessly on leash takes a LOT of repetition. I am happy to do that for you! We’ll work on public manors, being able to ‘settle’ and hang out at a park or coffee shop. And we will progress from leash walking being constant work and checking in, to hands-free leash walking with minimal redirection needed. The second two weeks will take your pup from knowing the basics to being an intermediate star and ready to take on the world!
Three Week ‘Paws for Purpose’ Service Dog Foundations! $285.72
If you’re hoping your dog will become a service or therapy dog but feel overwhelmed by the amount of groundwork involved, this program is designed for you!
Over the course of three weeks, we focus on building a strong foundation for your dog’s future working role. Training emphasizes public access skills along with the tools and tasks your dog will need to confidently navigate real-world environments. Your dog will learn to stay calm, centered, and attentive to their handler in public settings, with a strong focus on long down-stays and maintaining focus despite distractions.
We train in a variety of challenging scenarios, including environments with running children, dropped items, food distractions, and more. Your dog will learn practical skills such as tucking neatly under chairs or between you and counters, settling quietly under tables at restaurants, and confidently handling stairs, elevators, and other everyday environments. If requested, we can also introduce public blocking.
Core obedience cues covered include heel (fast/slow), left, right, wait, stay, leave it, and drop it. Based on your specific needs, we’ll also begin foundational task training such as item retrieval or deep pressure therapy.
By the end of the program, your dog will return home stable, focused, and ready to advance into higher-level service work, with the skills needed for public access. They will also earn their AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Community Canine (CGCA), and Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU) titles. (Dogs do not need to be AKC-registered to receive these certifications—they serve as recognized benchmarks of training and public readiness.)
This program includes support for you as well. You’ll receive lifetime access to virtual coaching, including a session before your dog returns home, one after, and ongoing support whenever you need it.
Please note: this program is designed as a continuation of our two-week “Bright Beginnings” board-and-train. If your dog has not completed that program or needs a refresher, additional training time may be required.
Sessions run roughly 1.5 hours. (Kay doesn’t watch the clock and often runs over-time, at no extra charge.) Private training can occur at Canine Communications, over the phone, or on a video (zoom/facetime) call. However; training is much more effective when a behavior expert can see the dog in its natural environment, and Kay prefers to have these sessions in the owners home whenever possible.
If kay will be traveling to your home; please select the $25 ‘travel fee’ add-on.
If you'd like to schedule something outside the regular availability that can absolutely happen! Please contact me to book directly.
*Payment transaction fees are passed on to the card holder. If you would like to avoid the 3% processing fee, you are welcome to reach out and pay via Paypal or Venmo!
This is the price for 'single' board and train days. This is never a recommended option as it takes many days to teach and instill or retrain behaviors, but it is always possible to work on something if your time is limited. Please check out the 'packages' for detailed options and discounts on multi-week stays! Packages, explanations and direct links to purchase can be found back on my main website CanineCommunication.Dog under the 'Training Packages' tab.
All plans and stay lengths are customizable, please reach out to chat about your specific needs!
*Payment transaction fees are passed on to the card holder. If you would like to avoid the 3% processing fee, you are welcome to reach out and pay via Paypal or Venmo!
Bringing home a puppy is exciting… and overwhelming. Those early weeks matter more than most people realize — and that’s where I come in.
With 15 years of experience as a positive reinforcement trainer, I now specialize exclusively in early puppy development. My consultations are designed to build confident, stable puppies and prepared, empowered pet parents, from day one.
Whether your goal is a beloved family companion or laying the groundwork for a future service or therapy dog, foundations matter — and I take them seriously.
Each 90-minute Puppy Foundation Consultation is intentionally thorough. I don’t rush, I don’t skim, and nothing is off-limits. We will cover everything you need to raise a well-adjusted puppy with clarity and confidence, including:
• Potty training and realistic schedules • Crate training done right (no stress, no guilt) • Jumping, nipping, barking, and other common puppy behaviors • How to properly exercise, mentally stimulate, and entertain your puppy • Grooming handling, body awareness, and nutrition basics • Setting up your home for success (before problems start) • Introducing your puppy to guests, new environments, and daily life • Early obedience foundations — with a strong focus on emotional regulation and confidence
But this consultation isn’t just about training your puppy — it’s about preparing you. You’ll leave knowing why behaviors happen, how to respond, and how to set your puppy up for long-term success, not just short-term fixes.
If you want more than quick tips… If you want a puppy who feels safe, confident, and capable… And if you want to start this journey the right way, from the very beginning —
This consultation is for you.
Strong foundations create exceptional dogs. 🐾 And it all starts here.
(This consult is also known as the ‘Headstart To Home’ meeting. If your puppy has been through my Headstart program with Starlight Bernedoodles, this consult is included with your puppy package.)
