Grade Levels: Pre-School → Dogtorate

Pre-School is the first step in our 8-level curriculum. Dogs learn manners, socialization, and proper play while building confidence and desensitizing to sights and sounds that can trigger reactivity. These crucial skills develop the fundamental aspects of a well-rounded dog and prepare them for everything to come.

Pre-School runs as two tracks — Puppy (5-12 months) and Adult (12+ months) — so your dog learns alongside peers at a similar life stage. Most dogs graduating from our board-and-train Camps enter at Kindergarten, but outwardly reactive dogs start in Pre-School (Adult) for focused support before moving up.

In Elementary, dogs reinforce skills from Kindergarten while learning advanced commands and behaviors crucial for daily interactions. This stage focuses on refining obedience, improving impulse control, and enhancing social manners.

The signature commands of this level — Reset, Done, Leave It, Off — are the ones your dog will use every single day at home, on walks, and in public spaces.

In High-School, dogs reinforce and proof basic commands and manners while expanding into more complex behaviors that enhance their ability to engage in interactive and cooperative tasks. This level focuses on building advanced tricks, emotional bonding, and practical retrieval skills.

The desensitization work at this level — children, sounds, and medical handling (taking vitals) — is what makes Partners-trained dogs comfortable in the real world.

Dogs establishing themselves as masters of body and mind reach new heights in this grade level. Navigate the difficulties of strengthening each known behavior around increasingly difficult environments. Bridge together intricate routines with a combination of precision, creativity, and advanced communication.

This level emphasizes complex tricks, cooperative tasks, and performance-oriented skills — the routines you see at dog sport demonstrations and on social media.