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We are located in the picturesque Samford Valley in South East Queensland.
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Choosing the right dog trainer is essential for your pet’s well-being and your peace of mind. Here are some tips to help you pick a dog trainer:

1. EXPERIENCE – check the trainer’s experience, find out how long they’ve been training dogs, what breeds, for what purpose, what behavioural issues they have experience with. Its more than just crate training. With the rise of online classes and Covid shutdowns, many people enrolled in online dog training courses and are presenting themselves as trainers having no real world experience – only a few days of online classes.

2. Research, References & Referrals – start by asking for recommendations from friends, family, your breeder or your veterinarian. Online reviews and social media can also provide valuable insights. Request references from past clients. Speaking with people who have used the trainer’s services can provide valuable insights into their effectiveness.

3. Observing trainers with their own dogs – this is an excellent way to gauge their skills and methods. Well-behaved personal dogs often indicate effective training practices and a strong understanding of canine behavior. At our facility, we prioritize the bond between dogs and their owners, recognizing it as a cornerstone of a harmonious home life.

4. Training Methods – gain insight into the trainer’s methods and philosophy. A competent trainer should be able to clearly explain what they teach and why they teach it, reflecting a solid training methodology. If a trainer solely focuses on specific issues without addressing their methods’ broader applicability, consider seeking one with a more comprehensive approach that can guide you effectively across various training areas. For example – from Day 1 of any of our courses, we teach calm behaviours. This is fundamental for dogs to learn as it applies to so many issues – separation anxiety, crate training, reactivity, walking on lead, staying, toilet training, etc.

5. Ask Questions – don’t hesitate to ask questions about their training philosophy, methods, and experience. A good trainer will be open and willing to discuss their approach.

6. Follow-up Support – enquire about any follow-up support or resources the trainer provides after the training sessions. Ongoing support can be valuable for reinforcing training.

7. Guarantees – be cautious of trainers who promise quick fixes or guaranteed results. Training is an ongoing process, and each dog progresses at its own pace.

Please note: it’s crucial to recognize that 12-week-old puppies can not be 100% toilet trained. Expecting them to be completely toilet trained at this age is unrealistic. Our Stay and Train program plays a significant role in guiding them toward proper toilet habits, helping to lay a strong foundation. While we complete the heavy lifting of toilet training in our program, patience and consistency remain key as they continue to mature and improve. Avoid trainers that claim a puppy can be 100% toilet trained by 12 weeks.

8. Trust Your Instincts – ultimately, trust your gut feeling. If something doesn’t feel right or you have concerns about the trainer’s methods, it’s okay to look elsewhere.

Remember that dog training is not just about teaching your dog, it’s also about building a positive and respectful relationship between you and your pet. Choose a trainer who aligns with your values and prioritizes your dog’s well-being.

Why does my new puppy need to come directly to Puppy Stay & Train?

Puppy training needs to start from day 1.

Training a puppy from day one is essential because early experiences shape a dog’s behavior and habits for life. Our Puppy Stay and Train program is during their critical developmental and socialisation period. During this time, they are highly receptive to new experiences and learning – this includes good behaviours as well as unwanted ones. Most people inadvertantly make a lot of mistakes when they first bring a puppy home. We have seen the difference in puppies that start day 1 versus puppies that have a delayed start.

Additionally, we are trying to cut down on the disturbances a puppy faces with multiple new homes.

Lead trainer, Nikki is with your pups everyday & night. Her home was purpose built to accommodate the Puppy Stay & Train program. Nikki has 37 years of dog training experience, including 30 years training police and Border Force dogs to detect explosives, narcotics, fire accelerants and also therapy and support dogs to assist those experiencing trauma. You can see her bio on the Meet the Trainers page. Over the past several years, Nikki has seen over 700 puppies complete the Stay & Train program. Her decades of experience means there is no problem she hasn’t seen many times before and she has developed many training techniques to address those problems.

Your pups will also work with Ken who has seven years of dog training experience and who specialises in training puppies during their most critical developmental period. Ken has seven dogs of his own, four of which have completed the Stay & Train program. Ken spends five days per week working with the puppies and is known for his calm, patient and thoughtful training.

Maddie works with the puppies five days per week, often alongside Ken. Maddie has three years of experience dog training but her gift for training was evident on the first day. Much like Ken, Maddie is calm and patient allowing the dogs to learn what calm behaviours are and how to “learn to learn.”

We DO NOT subcontract training to outside trainers. In addition we do not run a dog trainer placement agency. Your puppies will be trained in-house by Nikki, Ken and Maddie using our training techniques and methodologies.

This is imperative to a puppy’s success as it ensures the puppy does not end up confused having been exposed to various trainers with various skills and various goals.

Our techniques are precise and they are what you will do when your puppy comes home, ensuring no confusion.

“My home, situated on six acres, was built with this program in mind.” – Nikki, Owner & Lead Trainer

The ground floor houses the puppies with every amenity imaginable – a dedicated training area, grooming facility, large, well equipped puppy play area & the ultimate temperature controlled puppy bunkhouse.

They even have a custom-built ramp so they can come upstairs to join my family each morning and night without having to navigate stairs! CCTV cameras, gated entry and triple fencing keep our entire facility safe. The surveillance and alarm system means that even in the middle of the night, the puppies are always minded. Located on six acres, the puppies can run freely to their hearts’ delight.

Our cleaners start each morning as the puppies get up and leave the bunkhouse for the play area. Every morning the puppy bunkhouse is thoroughly cleaned and disenfected. The bedding is changed, the floors are washed and the water is changed.

The puppy play area is cleaned each morning and afternoon. A clean environment is essential and we ensure it is at all times.

Unfortunately, due to the genuine health risk to the other puppies, we can’t allow the puppies to leave the facility during the 28 day Stay & Train. We understand you are excited about having your puppy at home, but all our clients will attest it is worth the wait! We do, however, provide you with regular pictures and videos of your pup’s progress through our puppy training private client portal.

SEPARATION ANXIETY and CALM BEHAVIOURS are the cornerstone of our training programs!

From day 1, the puppies are earnestly perfecting their serene behavior, growing self-assured and learning that alone time is part of doggy life! No need for unnecessary barking or distress; it’s all part of the journey.

Within our training facility, we’ve thoughtfully designed the famous puppy bunkhouse – not jsut crate training, but a separate space for the puppies, where they learn from the moment they arrive, the vital lesson that peaceful alone time is not only acceptable but beneficial. This approach addresses the root of separation anxiety, promoting a more confident and composed canine companion. The reality is, the vast majority of family dogs will spend hours alone each day. It doesn’t need to be stressful. We teach calm behaviours, we reward calm behaviours and the puppies learn from the start to be confident, well-behaved companions.

Recently, we’ve had an influx of slightly older pups come to our Puppy Stay & Train after undergoing training within home environments where their littermates or humans were constantly present – spending a crucial period of their development in a family room or bedroom. Regrettably, these settings inadvertently nurtured and reinforced separation anxiety – one of the top issues faced by dog owners. When these pups join us, there’s a lot of “untraining” that has to happen but we are committed to guiding them towards a more tranquil solo experience, ensuring that incessant barking and neighbour complaints become a thing of the past.

Please note:  If you’re exploring in-house puppy training options, ensure the pups are raised in an environment where they learn the importance of serene solitude, sparing both pups and owners from future separation anxiety challenges.

Make sure to ask about the facilities, where the puppies sleep, the experience of the trainers and the safety & cleanliness of the environment.

Certainly, we have the capability to accept puppies from various locations across Australia. It’s not uncommon for us to have puppies from different states in our training program.

Additionally, we routinely train puppies that are destined for international homes. Our services extend to providing airport transfers, streamlining the process for both you and your puppy.

Importantly, our Stay & Train program aligns with the kennel requirements of many countries, ensuring that the puppies meet the necessary standards before they can be received in their new international homes. All of our puppies are crate trained and those traveling internationally undergo additional environmental training to ensure their flights are as comfortable as possible.

Towards the end of the training, we will forward you a document that outlines all commands, crate training, food & your puppies routine. Additionally, you are welcome to contact us anytime with questions. We encourage you to send us video so we can see and fully understand your questions.

Crate training! Regarding crate use, it’s essential that you continue this. You’ll find that your pup will often take herself or himself to his crate when he wants to rest. Having a crate-trained dog is so beneficial down the road when you inevitably come across issues that require you to secure your dog or situations where your dog needs to feel safe and protected. Remember, we have already trained your puppy to love their crate. Crate training, the hard part is done!

No. Our sole training facility is situated in Yugar, just north of Brisbane, where we exclusively operate our Stay & Train program.

We want to be very clear that any assertions of affiliation, training, or certification with us made by trainers or breeders outside of our facility are misleading and inaccurate.

We have no ties to other Stay & Train businesses, and we cannot vouch for their methods or practices.

We’ve become aware of individuals falsely claiming an association with us, often when we receive puppies that previously participated in such programs elsewhere before joining us. We urge caution and recommend verifying any claims of affiliation with our organization. If you encounter such claims, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We take our training seriously and are committed to safeguarding our reputation from any inexperienced trainers or breeders falsely asserting their connection to our Stay & Train program.

We can certainly provide recommendations based on our experience with breeders we’ve worked with. These breeders, who send their puppies to us for training, demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring excellent outcomes for their dogs.

When searching for a reputable breeder, it’s advisable to inquire about their breeding practices, health screening, socialization efforts, and the overall well-being of their dogs. Conducting thorough research and seeking references from these breeders can help you make an informed and responsible choice when selecting a breeder for your new puppy.

Not at all!

We’ve had the pleasure of training a diverse array of dogs, ranging from tiny Chihuahuas to large English Mastiffs, from high-energy breeds like Kelpies and Border Collies to high-drive dogs like Belgian Malinois. Our experience also extends to mixed-breed dogs and we have a special place in our hearts for these unique and wonderful canines.

While oodles are frequently featured on our social media due to their current popularity as family and therapy dogs, we genuinely appreciate and embrace all breeds and mixed breeds.