Puppy Foundations: Sensory & Social Skills

 

4-Week Puppy Sensory & Social Skills Class

A gentle, confidence-building start for puppies during their most important developmental window.

The early weeks of your puppy’s life shape how they move through the world forever. Puppy Foundations: Sensory & Social Skills is a 4-week, fear-free class designed specifically for puppies under 20 weeks to support confidence, calm behavior, and healthy social development.

This class focuses on safe exploration, positive emotional experiences, and early foundation skills — not obedience drills or overstimulation. Every puppy is supported at their own pace, with built-in play breaks, potty breaks, and thoughtful guidance for shy, sensitive, or brand-new pups.

Sign up for Puppy Foundations Class

What Makes Puppy Foundations Different

  • Designed for puppies under 20 weeks

  • Fear-free, positive reinforcement only

  • Small group, puppy-paced environment

  • Focus on confidence, emotional resilience, and real-world skills

  • Structured play that supports healthy social behavior

  • Led by experienced trainers who understand puppy development

This class is ideal for puppies who need gentle exposure, not chaos — and for guardians who want to do socialization right.

Meet Your Instructor

Puppy Foundations is led by Amy Stel, an experienced, multi-certified dog behavior professional with a deep understanding of puppy development, early socialization, and positive, fear-free training.

Amy’s work centers on helping puppies build confidence, emotional resilience, and healthy social skills during their most critical learning window. Her approach is thoughtful, science-based, and grounded in real-world application — supporting both puppies and their people as they learn together.

→ Learn More About Amy and her Training Background

What Your Puppy Will Learn

Throughout the 4-week program, puppies will:

  • Explore novel objects and sensory stations

  • Practice calm behavior in new environments

  • Build confidence navigating different surfaces and textures

  • Learn appropriate social play and interaction

  • Develop positive emotional associations during learning

  • Build foundation skills for life at home and out in the world

Weekly Class Breakdown

Week 1: Foundations & Engagement

  • Play break + warm-up

  • Marker words & reinforcement

  • Name recognition

  • Touch & hand luring

  • Recall back into play

Week 2: Sensory Exploration & Body Awareness

  • Play break with recall

  • Intro to mat work

  • Sensory Sniffari with exploration stations

  • Body language basics

  • Up/downs & default behaviors

  • Play break

Week 3: Social Skills & Impulse Control

  • Play break with recall

  • Happy greetings

  • Default sit/down

  • Sensory exploration stations

  • Release words + wait/stay

  • Play break

Week 4: Life Skills & Graduation

  • Play break with recall

  • Super Bowls

  • Intro to loose-leash walking

  • Sensory exploration stations

  • Drop it / leave it

  • Play break + graduation

Sign Up for Puppy Classes

Class Details

  • Puppies under 20 weeks old

  • 4 consecutive weeks

  • 45-minute classes

  • Built-in play & potty breaks

  • Fear-free, positive reinforcement

  • Small group environment

  • Held at Pampered Paws

Is This Class Right for My Puppy?

This class is perfect for:

  • First-time puppy guardians

  • Puppies who are shy, sensitive, or easily overwhelmed

  • Puppies who need structured social exposure

  • Puppies who benefit from calm, guided experiences

  • Anyone who wants to prevent behavior issues before they start

No prior training required.

How Puppy Foundations Fits Into Puppy Adventure Club

Puppy Foundations is a class, not a membership service.

  • ✔ Open to members and non-members

  • ✔ A great starting point before joining Puppy Adventure Club

  • ✔ Complements Puppy Pack Play and Puppy Adventures

  • ✔ Helps puppies build skills needed for group activities

→ Learn About Puppy Pack Play (Members Only)
→ Puppy Socialization Why it’s Important & When You Should Start

Rates & Enrollment

$135 for a 4 week class

Enrollment is now open — spots are limited to keep classes calm and puppy-focused.

Sign up Here

FAQ’s

  • Puppies must be under 20 weeks at the start of class.

  • No. Puppy Foundations is open to all clients.

  • Yes — structured play breaks are built into every session.

  • That’s exactly who this class is designed for. Puppies are never forced to interact.

  • No. This class focuses on foundations, confidence, and emotional development — not obedience drills.