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 stay and train 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 stay and train 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 stay and train puppies can run freely to their hearts’ delight.

Our cleaners start each morning as the stay and train 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 stay and train puppy play area is cleaned each morning and afternoon. A clean environment is essential and we ensure it is at all times.

Yes! You are welcome to pickup stay and train puppies on a Saturday or Sunday between 8-3 for family visits. Additionally, we provide you with pictures and videos of your pup’s progress through our private client portal. We happily Skype with clients, especially those overseas. 

SEPARATION ANXIETY and CALM BEHAVIOURS are the cornerstone of our stay and train 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 stay and train training facility, we’ve thoughtfully designed the famous puppy bunkhouse – 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 stay and 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 stay and train facilities, where the puppies sleep, the experience of the trainers and the safety & cleanliness of the environment.

Towards the end of the stay and train, we will forward you a document that outlines all commands, 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.