2-3 Week Puppy Sleep Away Camp

(for pups 2 to 5 months old only): 3175-4275

Building a Solid Foundation for Real-World Skills and Good Behavior

Flash Dog Training — your go-to puppy specialist in Colorado and Oregon!

Did you just get a puppy from a shelter or breeder and are concerned you’re already seeing some bad habits? Is crate training or house breaking not going so well? Let us do the dirty work for you! Our 2-week puppy imprinting and training program is all about preparing you and your best friend for the ultimate success in life. Your puppy will begin developing the life skills that shape who they will become as an adult dog, and it is up to you to keep that structure going at home. The critical imprinting period is one of the most influential stages of your puppy’s early development. Once this window closes, we cannot recreate it. The experiences and guidance your puppy receives during these weeks will have a lasting impact on their adult behavior.

Shaping Your Puppy's Future Behavior From the Start

Psychological development matters just as much as physical wellness for growing dogs. The period between eight and sixteen weeks is the prime opportunity to expose your puppy to new sights, sounds, surfaces, and real-world situations in a controlled way. It is far easier to guide a young puppy before habits set in than to reshape practiced behaviors in an adult dog. Putting in the work now reduces confusion later and helps prevent avoidable behavior issues. This program is built to give your puppy the strongest start and a clear path forward.

Our Puppy Imprinting Sleep Away Camp includes:

Introduction to: name recognition, "sit", "down", "place", "come", and leash walking
House breaking
Crate training
Socialization with dogs and people
Riding calmly in the car
Calm feeding ritual
Nail clipping
Bathing
Ear cleaning and grooming
Medical handling
Separation anxiety prevention
Tether training

Sound desensitization to thunderstorms, fireworks, trucks, etc. via our audio program
Confidence building through object climbing, surface discovery, and body awareness
Real world exposure on field trips to things that are typically triggers for dogs like: bikes, skateboards, screaming children, loud equipment, etc
Video updates on your puppy's progress through email and social media
(3) lessons
Puppy training collar

OSKAR PRACTICES THE PLACE COMMAND OUT ON A TRAINING HIKE.

Our Puppy Training Day Camp Program

10-Days / Mon - Fri / 1750 - 15 and 20 day programs also available

Our Puppy Day Camp Program is our second most in-depth option for young dogs. It is designed for owners who want their puppy learning throughout the day while they are at work. Traditional daycare or loosely supervised “puppy play” groups can overwhelm a young pup and create uncertainty. Our Day Camp is built around your puppy’s individual needs. We do not allow rough or inappropriate dogs that could push your pup into defensive behavior. Instead, we carefully choose playmates whose energy and style match your puppy so each interaction is productive. Training comes first, then play becomes a meaningful reward, followed by successful crate downtime. Your puppy’s day follows a consistent cycle of guided learning, calm structure, and controlled social experiences. This program offers all the benefits of our Sleep Away Camp, with the flexibility of picking up your pup after work.

The Puppy Starter Program

750

If you want to build the right foundation with your puppy, it starts with clear habits and structure from day one. This program includes five one-hour training sessions at our facility, where we work through the essentials and teach you how to become your puppy’s most reliable guide. You’ll practice hands-on exercises you can record and revisit at home, and your puppy will take short breaks between sessions while we discuss important topics. In this program, we focus on:

Introducing puppies to the world is important, but it has to be done with purpose. It is not just exposure that matters, but making sure the puppy feels comfortable and capable during each new experience. Simply placing a pup in front of something new does not teach them how to handle it or how to approach similar situations later in life. We use food and toy motivation as tools to show your puppy that unfamiliar, loud, or unusual environments are manageable and can lead to something worthwhile when handled correctly and consistently.

During our Puppy Imprinting Program, we build the groundwork that leads to a stable and confident adult dog. We take advantage of every opportunity to guide your puppy’s mind during this critical period because every day makes a difference. The imprinting foundation we build now is something your dog will rely on for life.

The Importance Of Training Sessions for Puppy Socialization

Many people believe puppies should only interact with other puppies. While it can look cute, it is not always the healthiest approach. Think of it this way: a classroom full of children needs an adult to guide the lesson. Children can play together, but they are not the ones teaching real life skills. The same applies to dogs. A strong social setting for a puppy includes calm, stable adult dogs that show younger dogs how to move through the world. It is far more valuable for a puppy to learn from confident, well-mannered adult dogs than from other inexperienced puppies. Balanced adult dogs know how to soften their behavior to match the energy of a puppy, while still giving clear feedback that helps the puppy learn social boundaries. We have several well rounded adult dogs on staff for this purpose.

Puppy socialization also does not require large groups. Meeting ten dogs at once is stressful and chaotic for most puppies. Think about how you meet new people. You get to know them one at a time, not in a crowd of strangers all talking at once. Many big box “puppy socialization” classes look like a free-for-all all with puppies racing around, bumping into each other, irritating one another, and getting overwhelmed. There is no structure and no adult dog to guide healthy behavior. Environments like these, along with busy dog parks, often create long term issues. We have seen countless young puppies who start daycare enthusiastic, but after months of being bombarded by too many dogs, they retreat, become defensive, or snap at dogs who get too close. Most dogs do not enjoy constant interaction with large groups. Forcing a puppy into these situations again and again usually creates more problems than benefits.

Putting Socialization into Perspective

Imagine being required to go to a crowded club several days a week and having people come up to you nonstop when you are not in the mood. It would become exhausting and unpleasant. Meeting one or two people at a time is manageable and natural. Healthy socialization is not about numbers. It is about controlled, meaningful interactions. Your puppy will develop strong social skills when introduced to other dogs at a pace that feels safe and steady. On the other hand, a lack of exposure creates its own challenges. Puppies can develop insecurity or fear when they have too little exposure or when the exposure is handled poorly. That is why we create a structured, individualized social experience during your puppy’s critical imprinting period. This is one of the areas in which our team specializes.

Puppies from breeders or rescues should stay with their mother and littermates until eight to ten weeks old. During this time, they learn bite control and tactile communication. If a puppy bites too hard, the mother responds with clear feedback. Littermates do the same. One puppy will yip during play to tell the other that the pressure was too strong. These early lessons teach puppies the basics of canine communication. When your puppy reaches eight to ten weeks, they are ready to start life with you. The first three weeks of imprinting must happen with the litter, which means the remaining window is short and incredibly important for shaping their future.

Getting a Head Start With Socialization During the Imprinting Period

What happens during this period has a lifelong impact. The time between eight and sixteen weeks is when we can introduce your puppy to new sights, sounds, surfaces, animals, and experiences in a structured and safe way. This is the ideal age for imprint training. We always work at the puppy’s comfort level to prevent situations that trigger defensive behavior. Guiding a puppy through social interactions during this stage is essential for building confidence and creating a stable adult dog.

Along with helping your puppy develop a broad social skill set, we can introduce them to unique aspects of your lifestyle. Whether you have chickens or livestock, or enjoy biking, fishing, kayaking, boating, or camping, we tailor your puppy’s training to prepare them for the life you want to share together.

Ready to Give Your Puppy the Strongest Start?

Early guidance shapes everything your dog becomes. The experiences your puppy has right now will influence their confidence, behavior, and ability to handle the world as an adult. Our team is here to help you build that foundation with structure, clarity, and thoughtful exposure tailored to your puppy’s needs.

If you are ready to begin, fill out our client questionnaire, and we will walk you through the next steps. Let’s give your puppy the kind of start that supports a stable and reliable future.

Zahra gained so much freedom through her e-collar training, and I gained a sense of safety and control over my dog…

Zahra and I were referred to Kerry from another trainer in town who told us she was THE expert in e-collar training. At the time, while I was head over heels in love with my adorable new border collie puppy, I was also losing my mind trying to manage her incessant energy on my own. While I consider myself a pretty active person, Zahra came in to the world like a lightning bolt of nonstop energy and engagement. She was whip-smart and ready to learn/play/work ALL DAY LONG – and then some. I knew that I needed to find a way to combine Zahra’s exercise with mine if I was going to continue managing my busy work schedule and her needs, so I wanted to take us both on long hikes every week. Fortunately we live in gorgeous Colorado, so the mountains are literally our playground!

Last year I enrolled Zahra in Kerry’s 3-week e-collar board and train program while I was traveling over the holidays, and I honestly am not sure I’ve ever spent better money. Zahra gained SO much freedom through her e-collar training, and I gained a sense of safety and control over my dog. Today, when she sees me pull our her e-collar, she starts leaping with excitement because she knows it means that we’re going outside on some kind of adventure, and usually one that involves her getting to run at top speed to her little heart’s content. Watching Zahra run and leap in the mountains is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. She’s like a blur of white fur – practically flying and barely touching the ground!

I Iive in a VERY busy part of Denver, but with her e-collar on I can also let her off-leash in the middle of a nearby city park, and have full confidence that she is safe to play Frisbee with me without EVER running towards cars or other dogs. She just gets it. It’s amazing. I can’t even feel her recall level on the e-collar! We do this a few times a week when things are busy and we can’t make it to the mountains.

Kerry also installed a much-needed ‘off’ switch in Zahra – and my favorite of all commands, “Place!” I can’t even say enough about how much this changed our lives. Having the ability to tell Z to calmly stay in place while I have guests over, or need to work, is amazing. She also helped Z learn to LOVE going into her kennel, where she can also rest and turn off. Z screamed in her kennel for the first 2 months of her life so again, I can’t express how much relief it brought us both for this to stop being such a challenge.

Finally, Kerry helped me learn a ton about feeding Z a raw diet – and we’re now forever fans. Several vets were unable to fix Zahra’s sensitive tummy issues and 2 AM diarrhea episodes – once we had her on a the raw diet recommended by Kerry, her fur got shinier, she started liking eating, and she hasn’t has ANY tummy troubles since!

Kerry will forever be family to me and Zahra and I’m so grateful to call her a friend as well as an incredible resource.

Jen K.

Denver, Colorado

Their recall off leash is amazing and we trust them anywhere

We took our dogs, Auggie and Blue, to Flash Dog Training when they were both a little over a year old. After months and months of “do-it-yourself” training, we realized that much of what we were doing was not working. Auggie, a stubborn and happy-go-lucky field golden, pulled like crazy on his leash and his recall was great until there was a distraction like a bird, other dog, or squirrel. He also could not control his excitement when other dogs or people would show up to our house or we would encounter them on a trail. Blue, a more nervous but highly energetic collie mix, had trouble relaxing and didn’t like to do anything that she was told to do. On leash walks, she used to love grabbing the leash in her mouth, shaking it, and trying to escape from it. Of leash, rather than getting in the car after a hike or ski at trailheads, she would race around barking at us and refuse to come. Similar to Auggie, we thought her recall was great–until it wasn’t because of something she wanted to do more than come to us. Ultimately, we knew that based on our lifestyle, both us and our dogs would be happier if we did some sort of formal training.

After doing research, we landed on Flash Dog Training and submitted a form online. Ali, the Head Trainer in Colorado, quickly followed up on our inquiry, explained the training process, and answered our questions. We were immediately impressed with the program that they offered and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. After dropping our dogs off, Ali was communicative and responsive if we had questions, and filled us in on progress as the training progressed. One thing that stood out the most about Ali and Flash Dog Training was the individualized approach they took with each dog. Auggie was highly food motivated and wanted to please, and the Flash Dog team used this as the foundation for his training. Blue, on the other hand, was not food motivated and highly skeptical of anyone telling her what to do. For her, the Flash Dog team focused heavily on building her trust and formed a relationship with her before getting deep into the training. Ultimately, the outcome was the same for both–they came home happy and in many respects it is still hard to imagine how much they learned in their 3 weeks.

Both now love to learn and thoroughly enjoy refresher trainings (both with us and Ali). Their recall off leash is amazing and we trust them anywhere–distractions or otherwise. It is hard to emphasize to those who don’t have e-collar trained dogs the freedom it brings to both you and your dogs. But once you have them you will never go back. They can enjoy themselves off leash, explore, and do dog things, and you have the piece of mind to know that even if a squirrel, moose, or other dog pops out on a trail your dog will come back to you when you call and ignore the distraction. It takes work to get here, but Ali and the Flash Dog team lay the foundation for it. Additionally, both dogs now understand and enjoy walking on a leash. We can take them anywhere dogs are allowed, like the hardware store, and they will heal throughout, ignoring other people and dogs. Further, the work Flash Dog does with commands like place help give you dogs a better chance to relax at home. The best example of this is when we have guests or other dogs come over, our dogs now wait on there place for the excitement to subside before we release them to say hello. This simply would not have been possible without Flash Dog Training.

I don’t think either of us imagined that a dog training program would change our lives and relationship with our dogs as much as Flash Dog Training did. We will be forever grateful for Ali and the Flash Dog Training team. They do amazing work and we recommend them to all of our friends, many of whom have taken their dogs to Flash Dog Training and now have seen the results for themselves first hand. If you are looking to train your dog, Flash Dog Training is the best out there. We hope that everyone can experience the transformation that we did.

FDT Graduate Success Story In OREGON

Sending both of our dogs, a 6-month-old high energy puppy, along with our 10 year old rescue, to Flash for training is one of the best decisions and investments we’ve made. Our older rescue dog, Marley, has struggled with leash reactivity, pulling, and various triggers (skateboards, loud trucks, scooters, and more) for years. Despite working with various trainers, we never found the right style or tools to address the root of his behavior effectively. Avoiding certain situations or areas became a norm, and it became a source of frustration and stress for all of us. Our newly adopted rescue puppy, Finn, brought different challenges. With boundless energy and a tendency to get easily excited, he struggled to sit still or settle, always seeking attention or playtime with our older dog. He was also going through fear periods: getting spooked by everyday objects (strollers) and noises (kids playing, construction) during walks. We quickly realized that addressing these issues head-on and establishing strong, consistent communication between both dogs was incredibly important. Flash’s board and train program stood out from the beginning. Their facilities were spotless and it was clear they tailored their training approach to each dog’s personality and quirks, making us feel completely confident (for the first time) leaving them in their care. Our trainer, Amanda, has been exceptional throughout our entire training journey. Her commitment to both dog’s training and continued progress has been evident every step of the way. Despite our dog’s contrasting personalities and challenges, Amanda understood their individual needs and provided tailored advice for each of them – and has cheered on our wins every step of the way. Unlike some other training programs, Flash has provided us with tools, follow-up lessons, and support, to ensure that the training has been consistent and easy-to-follow now that they’re home. This has been paramount to their continued success. Both dogs have undergone incredible transformations that have made our relationships with them stronger and more joyful. Our older dog, Marley, no longer pulls on leash and looks to us for guidance. His body language is relaxed and he’s no longer on edge, which has reduced or eliminated most of his leash reactivity. Our adolescent puppy, Finn, now understands how to relax and settle using the invaluable ‘place’ command and has gained an enormous amount of confidence. He’s no longer fearful or spooked around new sounds or sights, heels and looks to us for direction, and isn’t as easily distracted in stimulating environments. The positive impact of Flash’s training program cannot be overstated. I’m now comfortable taking them on walks together – something that had started to feel impossible – even in busy areas with past triggers. One of the most impactful breakthroughs has been with Flash’s e-collar training. This newfound trust in their training and recall has opened up a world of off-leash adventures for us. Watching our dogs explore the outdoors, unrestricted and free, fills us with an overwhelming sense of happiness. We are so grateful for finding Flash and the immeasurable difference they have made in our and our dog’s lives!