Fetch the Leash! Dog Behavior & Training

Enrolling my puppy in Puppy Camp with Fetch the Leash was the single best decision I've made in my puppy's young life, and here's why. When I decided to bring home a 10 week old puppy as a single person living in a third-floor apartment, I knew I was in for some chaos, but I didn't fully appreciate the depth of the challenge. My little Virgil was a whirlwind of paws and teeth, getting into everything he possibly could. It was a full time job just to keep him from accidentally harming himself by eating a rug or (worse) an electrical cord. He had no ability to hold his bladder, and so potty training involved running up and down two flights of stairs roughly every 30 minutes for weeks. There was no sleep, no relaxation and absolutely no freedom for me as I worked to get him settled in his new home. I knew up front that early socialization would be key with Virgil, being a protective breed, and I knew he needed to meet people, and dogs, and lots of them in order to become a happy and well-adjusted member of society. Fortunately, a friend turned me on to Fetch the Leash, and we enrolled in Puppy Preschool with the happy result that, slowly, Virgil and I developed a language through which we are able to communicate. At the same time, I was also doing my best to socialize him by taking him to Lowe's, Home Depot, and other places where they allow young dogs. But, he wasn't fully vaccinated so I had to be careful about his exposure to other dogs, and he also wasn't sleeping through the night--which meant I also was not sleeping through the night. I was TIRED, doing my best but frazzled and fraying at the edges. That's when I stumbled upon Puppy Camp. It was a big of a financial investment, but knowing that the opportunity to socialize Virgil would only come once, I decided to take the chance, and I'm so glad I did! For me, Puppy Camp was the turning point in my relationship with Virgil. The great folks at Fetch took Virgil out on the town for three solid hours twice per week. They reinforced the training we were already doing at home, making it much easier for Virgil to learn, and they also introduced him to other puppies, people, and situations that broadened his horizons, provided mental enrichment, and gave him solid socialization at a critical time in his development. But best of all (and I cannot stress this enough) it gave me a chance to breathe. For three solid hours, I could focus on the things in life that Virgil made challenging--simple things like taking out the recycling and vacuuming the living room. I could breathe easily without worrying about what he might be destroying if I took my eyes off him for a minute, and that break ended up being exactly what I needed to manage my own stress. Even better, when Virgil came home after puppy camp, he was blissfully exhausted and pretty much chill for the rest of the day, which made it easier for us to bond and spend quality time together without him being a frantic tornado of unmanageable puppy energy. Over the three-ish weeks of puppy camp, Virgil really transformed from being a crazy, out of control little dude to becoming a sweet, friendly, well-behaved puppy with a solid basis of fundamental training and a sincere love of all things human. The folks at Fetch the Leash have been kind and understanding across the board as I scramble around in my sleep-deprived state trying to wrangle my life back into order, and I've appreciated their flexibility with my many questions. I also love seeing the regular report cards on Virgil's progress, along with a great collection of photos. The first report card I got included a photo of Virgil with the biggest puppy grin on his face--and that's the moment when I knew we were going to be OK. If you have a young pup who you want to give the best shot in life, I highly recommend Puppy Camp. It's a game changer.

We couldn’t recommend working with Fetch the Leash enough. As first time dog owners who adopted from a shelter, training with Fetch the Leash has been such a positive and rewarding experience. When we rescued our heeler/border collie mix, Eli, at 8 months old, he was unsure around strangers and reactive at times. Starting with group classes for socialization, we later transitioned to regular day training with Maria, and the progress has been amazing. Eli’s confidence has grown significantly, and Maria has taught us how to set Eli up for success in potentially triggering situations. He’s now curious and warms up quickly to guests. We’re excited to continue working with Maria and the team to achieve new goals, including heeling, recall, and off-leash play. Thank you, Maria and Fetch the Leash, for giving us the knowledge and skills to help Eli thrive!