A new puppy brings plenty of questions: Where do you start? Which habits matter most? And how do you keep making progress as your puppy grows? Diamond K9 offers puppy training in Southern Maine with a plan for both the early months and the next stage.
Our Puppy Now and Later program combines two home-based board and train stays with time for you to practice at home between visits. It is a coordinated program, not a single short stay.
Puppy Now and Later: The Program at a Glance
Starting age: 3–5 months
First stay: 7–10 days
Return stay: Three weeks, scheduled 3–6 months after the first stay
Price: $3,397, including training tools and three owner sessions
This program is for owners who want help establishing early habits, teaching useful skills, and building on that foundation as their puppy matures.
The First Stay: Early Skills and Everyday Manners
During the initial 7–10-day stay, we introduce obedience and work on the habits that affect life with your puppy every day.
- Foundational commands: Sit, down, place, and come.
- Attention and walking: Name recognition and leash engagement.
- Home routines: Crate calmness, potty habits, and door manners.
- Impulse control: Work on jumping, nipping, and inappropriate barking.
The goal is to give your puppy a useful beginning and give you a clearer direction for the work at home.
Between Stays: Practice With Your Puppy
After the first stay, you bring your puppy home and continue strengthening the new skills and routines. This period lets you put the foundation into practice before returning for the next stage.
Your puppy comes back 3–6 months later for the three-week portion of the program.
The Return Stay: Build on the Foundation
During the three-week return stay, we add e-collar communication and practice the established skills around distractions. The focus shifts from an early introduction to greater reliability as your puppy matures.
Leash reactivity, anxiety, or aggression that begins to emerge during adolescence can also be addressed during this return stage. Tell us about changes you are seeing so we can discuss the training your dog needs.
Training Includes the Owner, Too
The program price includes three sessions with you, along with the training tools. Your part matters: you need to understand how to practice, communicate, and maintain the routines after each stay.
We want you to leave with a clear understanding of the training and how to keep building on it as your puppy grows.
Puppy Training Questions
Is this a weekly puppy class?
No. Puppy Now and Later is a two-stage board and train program, with owner instruction and a period at home between the stays.
When does e-collar training enter the program?
The later three-week stay adds e-collar communication to the skills introduced during the early foundation stage.
My puppy is already 6 months old. What should I consider?
Our Goal Digger and Diamond Elite programs and private training programs accept dogs from 6 months of age, subject to each program’s other requirements. Contact us to discuss which option fits your dog.
Puppy Training in Biddeford and Southern Maine
Diamond K9 is based in Biddeford, Maine, and welcomes owners from Saco, Portland, Scarborough, Kennebunk, Arundel, and surrounding communities.
Explore Diamond K9 client experiences, or get in touch to talk about your puppy’s age, current habits, and your goals.
Payment: Prices shown are cash prices per dog. Venmo and PayPal are accepted at a slightly higher total. Paying only the minimum program deposit through either service does not add a fee.