Puppy · from 8 weeks · Ottawa–Gatineau

The first 16 weeks shape the next 15 years.

BetterDog is the in-home solution for your puppy. A puppy class teaches puppy class. The problems are in your kitchen.

Book the Life Changer Session (613) 316-6473

30 days of phone, email, and text support included. Further in-person training requires a pass or pay-as-you-go booking.

Oliver.

The problem

Does this sound familiar?

Teeth on hands, socks, furniture.
House-trained — except at 2am.
The leash is already tight at 12 weeks.
Puppy class didn’t change anything at home.

What we put in place

House manners — door, bowl, couch
Potty rhythm that ends accidents quickly
Biting and mouthing — without yelling or treats as a crutch
Leash before pulling becomes the habit
Crate confidence without panic
Socialization without flooding
The morning routine you’ll use for 15 years

Three hours in your home.

01
Humans first
How a puppy decides — so the next 15 years actually stick.
02
Then hands-on
Door, leash, crate, bowl. We do it. You do it.
03
Guide, same day
We record in audio. A custom manual for your puppy, in the app.

What We Work On in Puppy Training

Calm Greetings

Teach your puppy how to meet people without jumping, mouthing, or spiralling into chaos.

House Training

Build routines that reduce accidents and help your puppy understand where and when to go.

Bite Inhibition

Help your puppy learn how to use their mouth appropriately and stop turning hands into chew toys.

Leash Walking

Turn frantic walks into calmer neighbourhood outings your dog can actually think through.

Recall

Help your puppy build the habit of returning when called, even when the world gets more interesting.

Settling in the Home

Teach your puppy how to relax instead of constantly chasing stimulation, attention, or mischief.

Meet a Few Puppies We’ve Helped

Real dogs. Real homes. Real progress.

Major

French Bulldog

Hunter

Golden Retriever

Monsieur

Golden Retriever

Tula

Husky

Frequently Asked Questions

What age should puppy training start?

Puppy training can begin as early as 8 weeks old. Starting early helps prevent habits from becoming deeply ingrained.

Do you train large breed puppies?

Yes. Early training is especially important for larger breeds because habits scale with size and strength.

Do you use punishment or shock collars?

No. BetterDog uses a calm, humane, consent-based approach focused on communication, structure, and practical follow-through.

How many sessions does puppy training take?

That depends on your puppy, your goals, and how consistently the work is carried through between sessions. Many owners notice meaningful progress in the first few sessions.

Do you offer group puppy classes?

BetterDog specializes in in-home training so puppies learn where behaviour actually happens — in the home, at the front door, and on neighbourhood walks.

Do you serve all of Ottawa and Gatineau?

BetterDog serves Ottawa–Gatineau with in-home training. Enter your postal code when booking to see available appointments. Contact us if you have a question about your area.

What actually holds

The change happens where the problem lives

Kitchen, door, walk. Not a neutral room where none of it actually happens.

One household. Every dog. One fee.

$500 tax-in. No per-head surprise. Everyone who lives with the dog is in the session.

A custom manual for your dog

We record in audio so you can stay focused on the learning. The guide lands the same day in the app.

What Ottawa–Gatineau households say

Public Google reviews. A dog name on this page is not proof the review is about that dog.

Google review

Thus far have had an incredible experience with better dogs! We have only taken the introductory class so far, where Nancy sat us down took us a bit through dog psychology before she started teaching us practical skills to help take command.

Matt Marchi

Nancy was amazing! She took the time to go into details of what to do with our boy Loky. After only 24 hours we already started to see a difference. We felt supported in the whole process — not just during sessions.

S.O.Loky

My dog was out of control, wouldn’t stop jumping and barking. Jon came over today to help us and I’m already seeing an enormous change in our 6 month old GSD.

N.D., Ottawa

Not a class

A class teaches class. BetterDog works your house.

	BetterDog	The class. The gadget. The other trainer.
Where	Your kitchen. Your door. The walk that actually falls apart.	A hall where none of the real problems exist.
Who	Jon or Nancy, with you throughout the session.	Whoever’s on the schedule. A different instructor next week.
How	Calm. Never a shock collar. Treats aren’t the method.	A collar, a clicker, or a bag of chicken.
The dogs	The whole household. One fee. $500 tax-in.	Per dog. Per class. A package to decode.
What you leave with	A custom manual that feels like the session you just had. Same day, in the app.	A handout. Or nothing.
After	30 days. Phone, email, text. Jon or Nancy.	See you next Tuesday. If the class still has a spot.

Frequently asked questions

How much does training cost?

The Life Changer Session is $500 tax-in — one household fee, every dog in the house. About three hours in your home. The Unlimited Training Pass is $1,200/year or $125/month on a 12-month commitment, if you want follow-ups and Pack Walks after that first session. No packages to decode.

Do you come to my home?

Yes. Your dog’s world is your kitchen, your door, your street. That’s where we work. Not a studio where none of the real problems exist.

Do you use treats?

Treats are not a crutch and not the lead. We use Emotional Marking: verbal praise, touch, play, and food used strategically — a crate that needs to feel safe, the end of a hard nail trim. Your dog listens because the communication is clear, not because you’re a walking snack.

Who has to attend?

Everyone who regularly lives with the dog. Adults, kids, the sitter, the walker, Grandma if she’s in the rotation. The first session is mandatory for the household. Mixed signals are how training dies.

How long is the first session?

Block three hours. One hour on how dogs think and communicate. Two hours hands-on — we do it, then you do it, until everyone in the house is confident. We record the session in audio, so you can stay focused on the learning. Every question and answer is recorded. The little hints. The tidbits you share — recorded. Then we prepare a comprehensive guide that feels like the session you just had. A custom manual for your dog. Same day. In the BetterDog App.

Can I join Pack Walks?

Not as a drop-in. Pack Walks are for BetterDog members — especially households who’ve been turning around at the sight of another leash. Start with the in-home session. Members on the Unlimited Pass walk free. $60 per walk otherwise.

All questions

The next step for your puppy is a session in your kitchen.

(613) 316-6473 · ottawa@betterdog.ca

Book the session — $500 tax-in (613) 316-6473