Puppy Training in Spokane, WA
Whether you want to stop biting, jumping and accidents or teach sit, come, leash manners and confidence around new people, our puppy training in Spokane gives your new dog the right start. Your puppy grows up with the skills and habits you want, and we teach your whole family how to keep them. Get started today with a free consultation: we’ll meet you and your puppy, share a few training tips and recommend the right program.
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How Puppy Training Works
Free in-person consultation
We meet you and your puppy, share a few training tips you can use right away and design a customized program based on your goals and your puppy’s needs.
Train the puppy and the people
Shayla works with your puppy and gives everyone at home the same cues, rules and routines, so your pup gets one clear answer instead of five different ones.
Out into the real world
As your puppy’s skills grow, practice moves to stores, parks and busy places around Spokane, so good manners hold up with real distractions.
Lifetime group class access
Board and train and in-home clients get access to our group classes for the lifetime of your dog: a place and a support group to keep practicing as your puppy grows up and to ask questions whenever they come up.
Three Ways to Do Puppy Training
Puppy board and train. Your puppy lives in Shayla’s home for 2, 4 or 6 weeks, one of only a few dogs at a time, and is cared for like her own. Training happens every day in a real house and out in real places around Spokane. At pickup, Shayla walks you through everything your puppy learned so you get the same results at home.
In-home puppy training. One-on-one lessons in your home, where the biting, jumping and accidents actually happen, and out in public when your pup is ready. Shayla travels anywhere in the Spokane area, from North Spokane and Deer Park to Liberty Lake, and she’s licensed in Idaho for Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls.
Group classes. Small classes of about 8 to 10 dogs, practicing around real distractions. They’re open to any puppy that’s ready for a group, and every board and train and in-home client gets lifetime access, so your puppy keeps practicing from baby to adult.
Puppy Skills for Real Family Life
Every plan is built around your home and your goals, but these are the foundations most puppy families want first.
A gentle mouth
Puppies explore with their teeth. Your pup learns what to do instead of biting, and you learn how to respond in the moment so nipping fades instead of turning into a game.
Four paws on the floor
Greeting guests, kids and grandparents politely, with a sit instead of a launch at their face.
Potty and crate basics
A simple schedule built around meals, water, naps and play, plus a crate your puppy settles in so the whole house can sleep.
Early obedience
Name recognition, sit, down, place, come and loose leash walking. These obedience skills make every other part of life with a dog easier.
Brave in new places
Calm exposure to new sounds, surfaces, people and places, including stores and parks around Spokane, so your puppy grows up relaxed in public.
Settling at home
Lying on a bed or place, waiting at doors and accepting handling for vet visits and grooming, so your puppy knows how to switch off.
Life Before and After Puppy Training
Every puppy is different, but these are the changes new puppy families in Spokane ask us for most often.
Puppy life right now
- Sharp puppy teeth on hands and sleeves
- Accidents on the rug after being outside
- Crying in the crate half the night
- Jumping on the kids and every guest
- Chewed shoes, cords and baseboards
- Pulling on the leash on every walk
- Ignoring their name at the park
- Nervous around new people and places
After puppy training
- A gentle mouth and calm play
- A potty routine your puppy follows
- Quiet, restful nights in the crate
- A polite sit for every hello
- Chewing only on their own toys
- Loose-leash walks around the block
- Comes when called, even with distractions
- Confident and relaxed in new places
The Habits You Build Now Last for Years
Your new puppy is learning every minute they’re awake. Whether you’re teaching on purpose or not, they’re figuring out what earns attention, what happens when they bite your sleeve, where the bathroom is and whether a tight leash means pulling harder. The dog you have at one year old is built from what happens in these first weeks at home.
That’s good news. A puppy has no old habits to undo, so the right structure now takes far less effort than changing a grown dog’s habits later.
There’s also a clock running. Puppies are most open to new people, sounds, surfaces and other dogs in their first few months, and that socialization window closes sooner than most owners expect. Good socialization isn’t about meeting every dog in Spokane. It’s about calm, positive experiences with the world, so your puppy grows up curious instead of worried.
Puppy training at Canine Community Center gives you that plan: clear house rules, early obedience skills and real-world outings, taught by a trainer with more than 13 years of experience and coached to your whole family so everyone stays consistent.
Beat the Teenage Phase Before It Hits
Somewhere after six months, many puppies hit adolescence. The pup who used to come when called suddenly acts like they’ve never heard their name. They’re bigger, stronger and bolder, and the habits you let slide at 12 weeks now come with real weight behind them.
Puppies with a solid foundation still test the rules, but they bounce back to them quickly. The structure you build now is what carries your dog through those months, so sit, come and loose-leash walking still work when your puppy is twice the size.
Start early and you can skip most of the wild months: you get a calm, controlled young dog you can take into stores and trust at the park.
Ready to get started? Click the button below and fill out a quick form to claim your free consultation. We’ll meet you and your puppy in person, share a few training tips you can use right away and create a customized plan around your goals.
Your Puppy’s First Teacher: Shayla
Dogs were part of Shayla LaMonica’s life from the start. She grew up watching her mom work as a dog groomer, and in kindergarten she told her class she’d train dogs when she grew up. She has now done exactly that, professionally, for more than 13 years, working with thousands of dogs from tiny puppies to seniors.
She started in Spokane, trained professionally in Seattle and came home to found Canine Community Center in Nine Mile Falls, a short drive north of Spokane. She’s the only trainer, which means the person you meet at your consultation is the person who trains your puppy.
Her approach is easy to follow at home: lots of praise, clear structure and calm accountability, adjusted to your puppy’s personality. A shy, sensitive pup and a bold, mouthy one don’t get the same plan, and neither do their families.
Puppy Training Questions
When should I start puppy training?
As soon as your puppy comes home. Young puppies learn fast, and starting early means you’re building good habits from day one instead of changing them later. Older puppies and adolescents are welcome too.
What’s the 3-3-3 rule in dog training?
It’s a rough guide for a new dog settling in: about 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn your routine and 3 months to feel truly at home. It’s used most often for rescue dogs, but it’s a useful reminder for puppy owners too. Give your new dog time, keep the routine consistent and don’t expect perfection in the first week.
How much does puppy training cost in Spokane?
It depends on your puppy, your goals and what your puppy needs. Every program is customized, whether it’s board and train, in-home lessons or group classes, so we don’t charge everyone the same flat rate for different situations. At your free consultation, Shayla meets your puppy, builds a plan around your goals and gives you an exact quote, with no pressure to sign up.
Is board and train worth it for puppies?
Often, yes. Shayla takes puppies for board and train, and they live in her home with just a few other dogs while she works on manners, potty and crate habits and early obedience every day. It’s a strong fit if you’re busy, struggling with biting or jumping, or simply want a head start. At pickup Shayla walks you through everything your puppy learned so it carries over at home.
Where can I find puppy training in Spokane, WA?
We’re home-based in Nine Mile Falls, north of Spokane. Board and train puppies stay in Shayla’s home, and in-home lessons happen at your place, whether you’re in Spokane Valley, Cheney, Airway Heights or across the state line in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, Idaho.
How do I stop my puppy from biting?
Biting is normal puppy behavior, but it needs direction. Give your puppy something appropriate to chew, calmly end play when teeth land on skin, and make sure everyone in the family responds the same way. If the nipping is constant or getting harder, Shayla can show you exactly how to handle it at your consultation.
Can puppies join group classes?
Yes. Our group classes are small, about 8 to 10 dogs, and open to any puppy that’s ready for a group. Practicing around other dogs and real distractions helps your puppy keep every new skill as they grow, and board and train and in-home clients get lifetime access.
Explore Other Training Programs
Board & Train
Your dog lives and trains in Shayla's home for 2, 4 or 6 weeks. The fastest path to a calm, reliable dog.
Potty Training
End indoor accidents with a clear housebreaking routine for puppies and adult dogs.
Crate Training
Teach your dog to see the crate as a calm, safe space. Less anxiety, less destruction.
Get Started Today
Claim your free in-person consultation for puppy training in Spokane. We’ll meet you and your puppy, share a few training tips you can use right away and build a customized program around your goals.