Puppy Training on Long Island, NY
Nipping, jumping, accidents and a leash that never goes slack: puppy habits grow up fast. Our puppy training on Long Island builds house manners, leash skills and focus while your puppy is still young and curious, whether they train with us in Kings Park or you learn together at home. Start with a free consultation: Rikki gets to know your puppy, answers every question and points you to the program that fits.
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Your Puppy’s First Steps With Us
Free consultation
Fill out the short form and tell Rikki what life with your puppy looks like right now. She answers every question and suggests the program that suits your puppy, your household and your goals.
Pick the way that fits
Puppy board and train, where your puppy stays and learns with Rikki and her team in Kings Park, or private lessons in your own home, where you learn to train your puppy yourself.
Structure, every day
Routines, manners, leash skills and socialization, practiced on a schedule built around your puppy’s age, energy level and attention span.
You take the lead
You learn every command, the hand signals and how to handle the moments that used to go wrong, so the new habits keep growing at home.
Puppy Chaos vs. Puppy Manners
Every puppy is different, but these are some of the changes Long Island puppy owners come to us for.
Life right now
- Nipping hands, sleeves and feet
- Accidents in the house
- Jumping on everyone who visits
- Crying in the crate at night
- Pulling and zig-zagging on walks
- Running off when you call
- Chewing shoes, cords and table legs
- Rushing the door every time it opens
Life after puppy training
- Gentle play instead of teeth on skin
- Better potty and crate routines
- Polite greetings with four paws down
- A puppy learning to settle in the crate
- Loose-leash walks around the block
- A recall you can build on
- Chewing the right things
- Waiting calmly at the door
Puppy Board and Train From 5 Months
In puppy board and train, your puppy stays on site in Kings Park as part of the Ruff Haus K9 household for two, three or four weeks, sometimes longer. It is a home setting rather than a crowded kennel, and Rikki keeps the number of dogs small each month so every puppy gets real attention.
Training happens daily on a schedule shaped around your puppy, with a fenced yard for running, playing and resting between sessions. Once the basics click, practice moves out to parks and busy stores like Home Depot, Petco, DICK’S and Target, where real distractions live. Three times a week, photos and videos land on your phone so you can watch the progress.
When you collect your puppy, Rikki spends a hands-on lesson showing you each command, the spoken cues and matching hand signals, and how the equipment works. A follow-up session once your puppy has settled back in, along with phone and email help throughout, keeps everyone on track.
- Walking on a loose leash and in heel
- Sit, down, stay and a reliable come
- Place, off, out and leave it
- Waiting at doors and greeting politely
- Potty and crate habits
- Meeting new people, places and sounds
Private Puppy Lessons in Your Home
Some families want to learn hands-on, and some problems only show up at home: the counter your puppy keeps checking, the couch they launch onto, the front door that turns into a sprint. Private in-home lessons bring training to your own front door anywhere on Long Island, so we can tackle those moments where they actually happen.
The lessons are built to teach you, not just your puppy: sit, heel, come, down, place, off, stay, leave it and drop it, plus how to read your puppy’s body language so you can spot trouble before it starts. Learning together like this strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
How many lessons your puppy needs depends on your puppy and your goals, so there is no one-size plan. Rikki talks you through it on your free consultation.
The Puppy Foundations
Every plan is tailored to your puppy and your home. These are the foundations we work on in both programs.
Crate and potty routines
A calm crate, a clear daily schedule and fewer accidents, so your puppy learns how your home works. We work on both every day, but accidents can still happen while a puppy is learning, so we never promise a spotless record.
Nipping and mouthing
What belongs in their mouth, what to leave alone and how to play without teeth on hands, sleeves or ankles.
Jumping and greetings
Polite hellos with four paws on the floor, for guests, kids, neighbors and strangers on the sidewalk.
Leash manners
Loose-leash walking and a heel, taught early, before pulling turns into a habit you fight on every walk.
Come when called
An early recall is the skill that keeps a young dog safe, from the backyard to the beach parking lot.
Socialization
Confidence around new people, dogs, sounds and places, so your puppy grows into a dog who takes the world in stride.
Small Habits Become Big Dogs
The jumping, nipping and pulling that seem cute at four months are a lot harder to live with at a year old and twice the size. Puppies learn fast, and they learn whatever works for them, whether you meant to teach it or not. Starting early means your puppy learns the right answers first.
Puppies can begin one of our programs once they are 5 months old. That age lets us build clear structure while your puppy is still curious and flexible, before bad habits set in. Younger than that? Get in touch anyway, and Rikki will map out a sensible starting point with you, including what to work on in the meantime.
Age is only part of the picture. A high-energy working breed, a sensitive little terrier and a laid-back bulldog all need a different approach, and so do the homes they live in. That is why every puppy plan starts with a conversation, not a template.
A Plan That Fits Your Puppy
Rikki, who graduated from Animal Behavior College, shapes each plan around the puppy in front of her: how much energy they have, what their body language says and how sensitive they are to touch. A tiny toy breed and a big working-breed pup won’t get the same plan.
Her method mixes exercise, affection, positive reinforcement and e-collar training. Board and train comes with your puppy’s own Educator e-collar. The level begins at zero and rises only when needed, staying on low, humane settings that suit your puppy’s temperament, and you’re shown exactly how the tool works before you take it home.
Your puppy keeps learning from you long after the program ends, so you are part of the training from day one. The practice you keep up at home is what turns training into lasting habits.
Want to get your puppy off to the right start? Tap the button below and fill out the short form to claim your free consultation. Rikki will get to know your puppy, answer your questions and recommend the program that fits your goals.
Puppy Training Questions
What age can my puppy start training?
Puppies can join our training programs from 5 months old. If yours is younger, send us a message anyway: Rikki will talk you through when to begin and what to practice until then.
What is the best age to start puppy training classes?
The earlier good habits start, the easier they are to keep, and our board and train and in-home lessons are open to puppies from 5 months. Group puppy classes aren’t on the schedule at Ruff Haus K9 right now, but if you’d like to see them on Long Island, you can add your name to the interest list through the form.
How much does puppy training cost on Long Island?
Every puppy is different, so it depends on which program fits and how much your puppy needs to learn. A short board and train, a longer one and a run of in-home lessons each look different. Once Rikki knows your puppy and your goals, she gives you an exact quote on your free consultation.
Is board and train or in-home lessons better for a puppy?
Both work. Board and train gives your puppy structure every day plus practice out in the real world, then hands the routine over to you. In-home lessons teach you to train your puppy yourself, in the rooms where the trouble starts. Rikki helps you choose on your consultation.
Does puppy training include crate and potty training?
Yes. Crate and potty habits are part of the foundation, along with obedience, leash manners and socialization. We practice them daily, but no trainer can guarantee a puppy will never have another accident, so you leave knowing how to keep those routines on track yourself.
Will my puppy still be playful?
Training builds structure and good manners, not a different dog. Your puppy keeps their own personality, with better habits and more focus on you.
What vaccinations does my puppy need?
Before your puppy starts, they should be current on rabies, parvo, distemper, leptospirosis and bordetella. Bordetella given by nose or mouth needs to be done 3 or more days ahead of the start date; given by injection, 10 or more days ahead. Please send the records over before day one.
Do you work with puppies outside Kings Park?
Yes. Ruff Haus K9 is in Kings Park, and puppy owners reach us from across Suffolk and Nassau counties, from Northport, Commack and Huntington to Stony Brook, Islip and Babylon. Rikki confirms the details for your town on your free consultation.
Explore Other Programs
Board & Train
Your dog lives and trains with Rikki and her team for 2, 3 or 4 weeks and comes home with the skills you want.
In-Home Training
Private one-on-one lessons at your home, where you learn to handle your dog right where the problems happen.
Potty Training
A clear routine, fewer accidents and a plan you can keep up at home. Worked on with care, never over-promised.
Get Started Today
Claim your free consultation for puppy training on Long Island. Rikki will learn about your puppy, answer your questions and recommend a program built around your goals.