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The Puppy Academy Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion
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Our Final Verdict
We give The Puppy Academy a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
Campus: 5/5
Day School: 5/5
Online School: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Welcoming a four-legged fluff ball into your home should be fun and exciting. Puppies are puppies. What’s not to love? I mean, how hard can raising a puppy really be? Said no dog owner. Ever.
Without guidance and support, puppyhood is hard. Suddenly your life is consumed by accidents and messes, sleepless nights, and endless barking. And if you’re here, you’ve probably asked yourself how one adorable tiny fur ball could be such a terror. The good news is you’re not alone in feeling stressed and overwhelmed, and the best news is The Puppy Academy is here to help.
The Puppy Academy is a puppy school in Hermosa Beach, California that offers puppy training programs for dogs of all breeds. The Academy works like a school, where you drop your pup off in the morning for training and pick them up at the end of each day. But training doesn’t stop at the end of the school day. It wouldn’t be school without homework and throughout the semester, you get to participate in one-on-one lessons to help you understand your puppy’s behavior and empower you with training techniques to use at home.
Busy Schedule? Don’t live near The Puppy Academy? No problem! The Puppy Academy offers virtual training through their Online School, so you can train your puppy from the comfort of your home with a schedule that’s convenient for you. I enrolled in the Online School and have been nothing but impressed with the program. From the training videos to the online resources, The Puppy Academy supports you and your pup through every stage of puppyhood.
About The Puppy Academy
What is The Puppy Academy?
The Puppy Academy is a puppy training school and boutique in Hermosa Beach, CA. The school was founded by Ricci and Marco, two dog lovers who endured the struggles of puppyhood with their dog, Coconut. Just weeks after bringing Coconut home, Marco unexpectedly got stuck out of the country. Grappling with the adjustment of having a new puppy and unexpectedly becoming a single puppy parent, Ricci was stressed out and overwhelmed.
It wasn’t until Ricci started working with a trainer that she and Coconut began to connect with one another. After realizing they weren’t alone in the puppyhood struggles, Ricci and Marco started the school they wished they’d had while raising Coconut.
Since its opening in 2016, The Puppy Academy has been committed to making puppyhood easy by supporting puppy parents with elite in-person and online training programs.
Who is The Puppy Academy Best Suited For?
Puppy parents! This program is great for any puppy parent looking for support and guidance throughout puppyhood. Puppies need your full undivided attention and training a puppy can feel like a full-time job, especially when you don’t know what you’re doing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with having a new puppy, frustrated with persistent undesirable behaviors, or simply don’t know where to start with training, The Puppy Academy is perfect for you. Not only will your furry friend get consistent training from expert puppy trainers but you will learn valuable training techniques that you can practice at home.
Overview
You are everything to your dog and your dog is so much more than just your best friend. Despite their quirks, their messes, and even the time they mangled your favorite shoe, your pup is one family member you can’t stay mad at. They deserve the best because they are the best and with The Puppy Academy, they’ll receive some of the best training a puppy can get.
What to Expect: Day School
The Puppy Academy Day School is modeled after a school-like structure, where puppies are enrolled for a 12-week semester and attend school three to six days per week. This means your puppy participates in everything from homeroom and training classes to recess and lunch.
The school day starts with you dropping off your pup in the morning for a full day of socialization and training. Spoiler alert: They’re going to have an amazing time.
Need a ride to school? The Puppy Academy has a special Taxi Service that chauffeurs your pup to and from the campus.
Throughout the day, your puppy will participate in the following classes:
Leash and Walk
Desensitization and Familiarization
Command and Obedience
Socialization or “Recess” for interactive playtime with the other students
Grooming and Handling
After a day of working hard (and playing hard!), it’s time to go home. During pick-up, you’re given a rundown of how your pup did that day and homework assignments for you and your puppy to work on together. You’re also given a report card so you can follow your puppy’s progress throughout their time at The Puppy Academy.
All training packages include classroom and “real world” training, one-on-one training, group training, and private one-on-one owner lessons.
What to Expect: Online School
The Puppy Academy Online School teaches you everything taught in Day School from the comfort of your own home and at a pace that’s convenient for you. It’s like homeschool for puppies!
The Online School is organized into six subjects including:
Orientation
Homeroom
Library: Puppy Help Classes
Course: Train your Puppy in 60 Days
Live Q&A + Coaching
Resources and Bonuses
After completing orientation and meeting your trainers in homeroom, you can hop over to the course section to start training. The course follows an eight-week program where each week is one module of training. Within each week’s module, you have access to different video lessons, activities, and downloadable homework assignments to guide you through the training process.
If you need additional help, the Library is full of videos that deep dive into common puppyhood problems, like separation anxiety and noise desensitization. You can also attend weekly Live Q&A sessions on Zoom where you can ask questions and request one-on-one coaching sessions. Replays of the Q&A sessions can be found in the Live Q&A + Coaching section on your main dashboard.
Training Areas
As an elite training program, The Puppy Academy helps you and your furry friend achieve every puppyhood milestone.
A few things your puppy will learn include:
Obedience commands with hand signals (sit, down, stay, come, drop it, etc.)
Potty and crate training
Leash and walk training
Socialization
Recall training
Nipping and bite inhibition training
Distraction training
No jump and no bark training
Desensitization and familiarization training
Grooming, handling, and teeth brushing training
Rules and boundaries training
And so much more!
Training Methods
The Puppy Academy uses reward-based training with positive reinforcement (lots of food work!), so make sure to stock up on all your puppy’s favorite treats. If your pup attends Day School, you’ll send them with their own food and treats each day.
In Summary
Taught by expert puppy trainers
Fast, long-lasting results
Offered in-person and online
Comprehensive training program
Training methods are backed by dog psychology and canine behavior
A portion of profits goes to local animal shelters and organizations
The online course is limited to 1-year access
Day School enrollment is limited (plan ahead or you might not get a spot!)
Key Features
Campus Boutique
Along with being an elite puppy school, The Puppy Academy also houses a luxury-style boutique. The Campus Boutique has everything you need to care for your puppy, including high-quality toys, treats, supplies, and tools. The boutique is conveniently located inside the facility at the entrance of campus, which means you can browse the large selection of specialty items whenever you stop by the school to drop off or pick up your pup.
Online Resources
Whether you’re enrolled in the Day School or the Online School, The Puppy Academy has so many online resources to help support you through puppyhood. A few of their resources include their blog, free masterclass, and Puppy Help articles, which can be found on their website. They also have great information on their social media sites, like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, which are all worth checking out.
Ask A Puppy Trainer Show (Live!)
The Puppy Academy’s expert trainers love your puppy (almost) as much as you do and are there to walk with you through every phase of puppyhood. One amazing way they do this is through their Ask A Puppy Trainer Show. Every Wednesday from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm PT, you can join The Puppy Academy’s free trainer Q&A sessions live on Instagram and get your puppyhood questions answered by puppy experts! If you miss a session, you can always watch replays through The Puppy Academy’s YouTube channel in their Ask A Puppy Trainer Show playlist.
Is The Puppy Academy a Good Value?
The Puppy Academy is a great value. Training a puppy takes a lot of time and effort and The Puppy Academy saves you both by providing you with everything you need to train your puppy efficiently and effectively. It’s also a program that helps you and your puppy understand one another, which is invaluable when it comes to bonding with your four-legged soulmate. When looking at other training schools, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one as comprehensive as The Puppy Academy or at the caliber of this elite program.
FAQ
Are there requirements for Day School?
If your puppy is attending Day School, they must meet the following requirements:
Age: Eligible puppies must be between 10 weeks and 9 months old.
Temperament: Puppies must pass a temperament test during the free consultation to be enrolled.
Vaccinations: All puppies must be up-to-date on vaccinations, including DHPP, Bordetella, and Rabies. Your puppy needs at least two rounds of DHPP and one round of Bordetella to start school, but they won’t interact with other students until they’ve received their third round of shots.
Fecal Exam: Puppies must pass a fecal exam to ensure they’re free of parasites.
Health: Students must pass a daily health check before starting their school day.
Breed: There are no breed or size restrictions! The Puppy Academy welcomes puppies of all breeds and sizes.
What is the cost (tuition) of the program?
Tuition and package options for The Puppy Academy Day School are discussed with you during your complimentary consultation and package recommendations will be made based on your training goals and your puppy’s evaluation. Tuition quotes are not given over the phone or by email.
The Puppy Academy Online School costs $299.00 for 1-year of access to the course.
When are the next available start dates?
The Puppy Academy has rolling admissions with new puppies starting all the time. While there isn’t one collective start date, new puppies start at the next available opening and go through the program at their own pace. Enrollment is limited and the school typically has a waitlist, so it’s best to plan ahead when you’re signing up.
You can enroll in the Online School anytime.
Our Experience with The Puppy Academy
Kindergarten for puppies? Sign me up!
When I heard about The Puppy Academy, I was instantly intrigued. I’d never heard of a drop-off puppy training school, let alone one offering an online training course. When I got my first puppy, I felt in over my head. I had no idea raising a puppy could be so overwhelming or that training a puppy would be such a long process of trial and error (my little puppy, Chloe, was in it for the long haul and she did great). Had I known about The Puppy Academy, I would’ve signed up!
One of the first things that stood out about The Puppy Academy was the campus. From the specialized training rooms to the hospital-grade air purifiers, the campus has everything your puppy needs to have a fun, safe, and effective training day at school. There’s even an adorable in-house dog boutique stocked with fun toys and supplies, so you can pick out something special for your pup when you drop them off or pick them up.
If your puppy attends Day School, they’ll get the full experience of having all-inclusive interactive classes, like Grooming and Handling, which is done in a room with grooming tables and supplies. They’ll also get the chance to play with their puppy peers, giving them plenty of socialization time and physical and mental stimulation.
Since I don’t live near Hermosa Beach, I enrolled in the Online School. The online program is well-structured and easy to navigate. The main dashboard is organized into six sections and each section has its own modules with different videos to watch and activities to follow. It also tracks your progress, so you don’t lose your spot as you move through the course.
One of my favorite resources was The Peaceful Puppy Playlist, which is a playlist of desensitization sounds (fireworks, doorbells, dogs barking, etc.) and Alone-Time Tunes (nature sounds, white noise, Classical music, etc.). Having an entire playlist of hand-selected music and noises is such a helpful (and ingenious) resource to have.
While going through the course, any questions I had could be answered via a blog post, a lesson video, or a supplemental resource. It also gave me peace of mind to know there were weekly Q&A sessions where I could ask questions or request a private coaching session.
The puppy trainers are amazing too! Sparky and Bethany are the two main instructors for the program and they do a fabulous job of explaining things in a way that’s easy to understand. They’re also incredibly knowledgeable about puppy training and behavior and have extensive experience working with puppies and dogs of all kinds. Best of all, they make learning fun!
I would highly recommend The Puppy Academy to any puppy parent looking for guidance while navigating puppyhood. As a comprehensive program taught by expert puppy trainers, this program has everything you need all in one place with so much support available for you and your pup.
Conclusion
Puppy training is so much more than basic commands. It’s about learning to understand your puppy so you can connect with them on a deeper level, and that’s what The Puppy Academy is all about. They streamline puppy training for you so you can train your pup and enjoy the puppy-training process. Whether you’re carpooling your puppy to school each day or enrolled in the online course, you’ll spend less time stressing about DIY training methods and more time enjoying the small moments and big milestones with your new best friend.
