Welcome Home

  • Author: Jenn Merritt
  • Level: Beginner
  • Length: 1.25 hours
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Lesson series: Good Dog on the Go!
Welcome Home was designed especially for pet parents of a new dog. Our program covers what you need to know to make your dog's transition into its new home an easier one. The lessons focus on what to do in the first fourteen days you have your dog, to get everyone in the household off to a good start. There are videos with basic dog training exercises to help you teach your dog how to be a good member of the family, plus there are videos for the humans in the house, to help them set up routines and management to minimize accidents and stress.
  • Training Videos: 33
  • Downloadable Training Cards: 7
  • Video time: 51 minutes
  • Recommended Training Tools: Leash, treats, treat pouch, dog bed, harness, 

Watch a sample training video

Family friendly dog training exercises that everyone can do.
Fun for your kids. Fun for your dog.
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Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Course contents

What's included?

This online course includes preparing your house for a new dog, housetraining, how to socialize your dog, how to develop routines, crate training, stress reduction exercises to help your dog acclimate to their new home, and basic training commands, such as attention and name games, sit, stay, and down. 

This program was developed to build a successful and safe relationship between your dog and family. We want to give all members of your family the tools they need to stay safe, to learn about dogs, and to respect all dogs. Plus, we want to give your dog skills that will help them be a good member of your family and community.

Many of the dog training exercises in the Good Dog program are kid friendly, meaning that children can participate with adult supervision. Children under the age of twelve should always be supervised around a dog, even a family dog that you've known for years.

Our program does not address aggressive or fear based behavior in dogs, which requires the assistance of a reward based dog training professional.
Lesson series: Good Dog on the Go!

Family friendly dog training fun that works!

Many of the dog training exercises in the Good Dog program are kid friendly, meaning that your children can participate with adult supervision. Children under the age of twelve should always be supervised around a dog, even a family dog that you've known for years.

The training game videos you'll view in this account are meant to be adult supervised and repeated again and again throughout the month. Practicing in different rooms of the house, inside vs outside, and with different members of the family can keep things entertaining and exciting until a next set of lessons arrives. Consistency and repetition is the key to success. We recommend training sessions of 5 to 10 minutes at a time, one to several times per day.

Your dog is unique

It's important to remember that every dog is unique, just as every child is unique. Each dog will have its own learning style and attention span. Your dog may learn some training games quickly, while others may take more practice. If your dog walks away in the middle of a training game or you're not getting the response you're hoping for, that's OK. Stop and come back later.

Does not address aggression or fear

The Good Dog program does not address aggressive or fear based behaviors in dogs, which require the assistance of a positive reinforcement dog training professional.

Watch the videos in order

We recommend watching the videos in the order provided. For the training game videos, we recommend mastering one game before moving to the next. Each training game builds on skills for future games. The exceptions are the TTouch exercises. These gentle petting and relaxation exercises can be used anywhere in the program with any frequency.

Meet the instructor

Jenn Merritt, CPDT-KA

Jenn had a fulfilling career as a a professional dog trainer for more than 13 years. She was also  a guild certified Tellington TTouch companion animal practitioner for 10 years. Jenn was Fear Free certified, a Family Paws Parent Educator, a Maxwell Award nominee, and she's been published in “Dog Fancy,” “The Dog Trainer’s Resource 3,” and “The APDT Chronicle of the Dog.” She's also been seen on “CBS This Morning.” Jenn is the creator of the SAFE dog bite prevention program.

Course Lessons

It is our hope that your family comes together to work with your family dog through this program and it provides many opportunities over the upcoming months to enjoy each other and have fun. Not every lesson will be perfect and not every dog will pick up a new skill on the first try, but that's OK. Keep practicing and feel free to contact us with questions or problems. Good luck and starting training!

Frequently asked questions

When does the course start and finish?

The course starts now and you'll be provided continuous access to the training videos. Take your time and watch them as many times as you like. Repetition is good for everyone. 

Was this written by a professional dog trainer?

Yes it was. Jenn Merritt, CPDT-KA, BS, was a professional reward based dog trainer for more than thirteen years. She was also Fear Free certified and a Tellington TTouch Guild Member.

What does reward based dog training mean?

Reward based dog training or positive reinforcement dog training uses praise and/or treats to reward your dog for doing something you want him to do. Dogs quickly learn what behavior to repeat to get praise and rewards. Reward based training does not use punishment, force, or any type of training device that injures or hurts your dog.