🐾 Why Choose Sprague’s Puppy Academy Over a Traditional Kennel Program?

Sprague’s Puppy Academy isn’t just obedience training — it’s a boutique, in-home board & train program designed to give your puppy the best possible start in life.

Here’s how we compare to a typical kennel-based program:

🏡 Environment

  • Puppy Academy: Your puppy lives in our home, as part of our family. They sleep inside, are around children, and interact daily with our well-mannered adult dogs.

  • Kennel Programs: Puppies are housed in kennels with multiple dogs and rotate in and out of runs for training sessions.

🎓 Training Style

  • Puppy Academy: Focus on foundation skills like crate training, house manners, recall, leash skills, and polite socialization — all taught with positive reinforcement & marker training.

  • Kennel Programs: Typically focus on obedience drills, often using traditional correction-based methods.

🐶 Socialization & Confidence

  • Puppy Academy: We prioritize preventative counterconditioning — turning every new experience (car rides, outings, people, noises) into a positive one to build confidence.

  • Kennel Programs: Limited exposure outside the kennel environment.

👩‍🎓 Trainer Expertise

  • Puppy Academy: Run by a certified trainer (CTC, Academy for Dog Trainers) with years of hands-on puppy raising experience.

  • Kennel Programs: Vary widely in staff qualifications — may or may not include certified trainers.

💡 Individual Attention

  • Puppy Academy: Only 1–2 puppies at a time, ensuring your puppy receives personal care and training.

  • Kennel Programs: Larger groups of dogs, meaning less individualized focus.

✨ The Value

Yes — our program is a higher investment. But that’s because your puppy is receiving premium, individualized care in a real home environment — something a traditional kennel simply can’t replicate.

Think of it like the difference between:

  • A personal tutor vs. a large classroom

  • A family home vs. a boarding kennel

Your puppy isn’t just being trained — they’re being set up for a lifetime of confidence, calm, and good manners.

Why The Puppy Academy Works

  • In-home training, never a kennel environment

  • Individualized attention and very limited spots

  • Positive, safe socialization with people and well-mannered dogs

  • Real-world outings to prepare for life beyond your home

  • Follow-up support so training sticks