Puppy Kindergarten

Get your new four-legged family member off to a good start! Puppy Kindergarten covers socialization and beginning foundational skills for the well-mannered puppy, and the basics of dog training for the puppy owner! Our puppy class is designed to fit seamlessly into our NEDTC Steps obedience program. You and your puppy will learn to train successfully in a positive way, while building your communication skills and good habits!

What do you learn?

Our classes cover basic obedience, good manners, responsible citizenship, attention and communication, beginning with puppy kindergarten.

  • Puppies 8-20 weeks old that have completed the vaccinations appropriate to their age.

    $180 for 6 in person classes to be completed in 6 weeks. Unused Puppy K classes can be used for subsequent Steps. Note that after puppy K ends, you are eligible to purchase classes in 6 week bundles to continue seamlessly with our Steps program.

    Required equipment, vaccinations, and club policies will be in the Orientation materials, but for a preview please see our Class Rules. 

  • Eye contact for 2 seconds, handler smiling!

    Sit 3 times using hand and/or verbal signal, no lure

    Down 3 times using hand and/or verbal signal, no lure

    Pass the Puppy Sit/Down with lure

    Respond to name from 5 feet

    Body Handling

    Pass the Puppy Body Handling

    Calling out of play after 30 seconds

    Surface/tunnel games

    Back up and Focus with food/toy distractor

    Let's get Dressed Up game

    Recall from 1/2 length of room (or more)

    Loose Leash Walking for 10-20 feet

    Take It/Leave It

    Retrieve different objects

    *These exercises may be performed with continuous rewards

  • NEDTC offers the AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Certificate program as part of our puppy kindergarten. Earn a certificate by mastering the following:

    Socialization

    Training

    Activity

    Responsibility

    View all 20 steps on the AKC website

  • Attendance
    We suggest that you make at least a six week commitment to training. You and your dog will benefit from training on a regular basis. Please plan to arrive on time so you will not miss any of the instruction and will not disrupt class already in progress. Arrive ten minutes early on the first night. Placement of dogs in classes is at the discretion of the trainers and training director.

    Training Equipment
    You will need a 4-6 foot leash (leather or fabric - no chains) and a buckle collar or harness. We do not use choke or prong collars. If you use a head collar (halter) please talk to us about it at orientation.

    Dogs on Leash
    All dogs must be kept on leash except when performing supervised exercises in a class.

    For additional information, visit our Class Rules page.

Puppy Kindergarten - First Class June 4 2026 6:30pm, Video Orientation
$180.00

This is a 6-week Puppy K, beginning June 4, 2026. This class will meet weekly on Thursdays, no class on July 2.

An orientation video will be sent to you prior to the first class . Class is at the Cambridge Friends School, Thursdays 6:30pm. Enter through the main entrance, and we will show you to the meeting room.

Want to join the waitlist? For puppies close to the 5 month mark, check out our Step 1 class for openings. Younger puppy? You can sign up for the wait list by clicking this product title, puppy class is offered approximately every 6 weeks.