Give Your Puppy the Right Start™ in Carroll County, MD

The first few months of a puppy’s life are the most consequential. The habits, communication patterns, and behavioral tendencies your puppy develops before six months of age will shape the dog you live with for the next decade or more. Most behavior problems that lead adult dogs to be surrendered, rehomed, or euthanized trace directly back to what was or wasn’t addressed during that early window. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has identified behavior problems as the leading cause of death in dogs under three years old, outnumbering infectious disease. Waiting to train is not a neutral choice.

The Right Start™ program at Lionheart K9 is built around that reality. Developed by Linda Kaim, NADOI certified with over 40 years of professional dog training experience, Right Start™ gives puppies the structured foundation they need during the developmental period when it matters most. Rather than reacting to problems after they take root, Right Start™ works with each puppy’s natural developmental stages to build the communication, habits, and skills that make everything easier as the dog grows.

Right Start™ is available to families in Carroll County, MD through private in-home sessions, and to families anywhere in the world through virtual training. Both formats deliver the same program, the same depth of instruction, and the same one-on-one attention from Linda.

What the Right Start™ Program Covers

Right Start™ is a six-week program, structured as one session per week, with written instructions and video tutorials provided between sessions so training continues at home between appointments. The program is comprehensive by design: puppyhood offers a narrow window to establish the right foundation, and Right Start™ uses that window fully.

The program covers:

• Housebreaking: a systematic approach that produces reliable results and avoids the common mistakes that extend the process unnecessarily.
• Developmental behaviors: mouthing, humping, and inappropriate play are normal puppy behaviors that require the right response at the right time. Handled correctly early, they resolve cleanly. Mishandled, they become entrenched adult problems.
• Crate training: teaching the puppy to accept and settle in a crate, which supports housebreaking, builds impulse control, and gives the dog a stable space of its own.
• Communication foundation: developing a clear, consistent language between owner and dog so the puppy understands what is expected and the owner understands how to communicate it. This is the infrastructure every other skill is built on.
• Obedience foundation: loose leash walking, recall (come when called), and place training. These are not just commands; they are the behavioral building blocks of a dog that is safe, manageable, and enjoyable to be around.
• Socialization planning: structured guidance aligned to developmental benchmarks. Socialization is not simply exposure; it requires the right experiences at the right stages of development, and Right Start™ maps that process explicitly.
• Imprinting for adult skills: certain behaviors are far easier to establish when introduced during puppyhood. Right Start™ lays the groundwork for skills that will be built on throughout the dog’s life.

The goal is not just a well-behaved puppy. The goal is the adult dog you want, built from the beginning.

Why Early Training Matters

Puppies go through distinct developmental windows during which their brains are primed to absorb new information, form associations, and establish behavioral patterns. The primary socialization window closes around 12 to 16 weeks of age. After that, the same learning is possible but it requires significantly more effort and the results are less reliable. This is not a reason to panic; it is a reason to move with intention.

Right Start™ is designed to meet puppies where they are developmentally. Linda begins working with puppies as early as eight weeks of age, concentrating each session’s focus on the developmental stage the puppy is currently in. Training at this stage is not about drilling obedience commands. It is about establishing the communication, structure, and habits that give every future skill something solid to build on.

Owners who go through Right Start™ consistently report that the process of raising and training their dog becomes easier, not harder, as the dog matures. That is the point: the work done early compounds. The alternative is harder, slower, and less effective: waiting until problems appear and then trying to address them.

What Other Puppy Owners Have Said

“I couldn’t be more grateful for the incredible work that the LionheartK9 team did with my puppy. Every session we had was filled with amazing and useful knowledge that didn’t just help my puppy, but it helped me as well. They explained everything clearly, guided me through the training process, and made sure I felt confident continuing the work at home. The progress my puppy has made is beyond what I expected. His confidence, obedience, and overall behavior have improved so much, and I owe it all to the LionheartK9 team. I am amazed by the results.”

— Grayson H., Carroll County, MD

“My husband and I recently got two Shih Tzu puppies as companions for our 7 year old Shih Tzu. The boy puppy was struggling to adjust to our home to say the least. He would howl in his crate if we left the room, howl all night, lots of biting and snapping, and was impossible to house train while his sister was adjusting without issue. We were seriously considering re-homing him as we just did not have the capacity to accommodate him. Thankfully, we found Linda. He is calm, happy and confident and is now the best behaved dog we have in our home. He is completely house-trained with no accidents and no longer howls when left alone. No snapping or biting either. Linda has equipped us with all of the knowledge we need to keep the right kind of structure in place while also allowing him to grow comfortable with our family and lifestyle.”

— Lauren T., Carroll County, MD

Virtual Right Start™ Puppy Training

Right Start™ is available entirely online for families outside Carroll County, MD, and for families anywhere in the world. Virtual puppy training through Lionheart K9 is not a scaled-down alternative. It is the same six-week program, the same written instructions and video tutorials between sessions, and the same direct, one-on-one attention from Linda.

For young puppies specifically, virtual training carries a meaningful advantage that in-person training in public settings cannot offer: it eliminates pathogen exposure during the period before vaccinations are complete. Young puppies have immature immune systems and are vulnerable to serious illness from environments where other dogs have been. Training in the puppy’s own home removes that risk entirely. The puppy learns in the environment where the training actually needs to work, surrounded by its own family, without the stress of unfamiliar locations or the health risks of communal spaces.

Families around the world have gone through Right Start™ virtually and produced the same results as in-home clients. The screen is not an obstacle; for a puppy learning in its own kitchen, living room, and backyard, it may actually be the more natural setting.

Schedule a Free Consultation to discuss virtual Right Start™ for your puppy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I start puppy training?

Lionheart K9 accepts puppies into the Right Start™ program as early as eight weeks of age. The common belief that puppies need to be five or six months old before training begins is outdated and, in practice, costly. The primary socialization and learning window closes around 12 to 16 weeks, which means waiting until a puppy is older means waiting past the most receptive developmental period. Starting at eight weeks is not about placing demands on a young puppy; it is about working with the brain’s natural capacity for learning while that window is fully open.

What does the Right Start™ program cover?

Right Start™ covers the full scope of early development: housebreaking, crate training, developmental behaviors such as mouthing and inappropriate play, loose leash walking, recall, place training, socialization planning aligned to developmental benchmarks, and imprinting the foundational skills that carry into adult training. Equally important, the program builds strong communication between the owner and dog so that the owner leaves each session with the knowledge and confidence to continue the work between appointments. The program is customized to each puppy’s individual temperament, breed characteristics, and the family’s specific goals.

How long is the Right Start™ program?

Right Start™ is a six-week program, structured as one session per week. Sessions take place in the home (for Carroll County clients) or via video call (for virtual clients). Between sessions, clients receive written instructions and video tutorials specific to what was covered, so the training continues daily without gaps. Linda is also available between sessions for questions. Six weeks is the structured foundation; for families who want to continue into more advanced training after Right Start™, that is a natural next step.

How is Right Start™ different from a group puppy class?

Right Start™ is private, one-on-one training customized entirely to your puppy and your household. Group puppy classes are designed around the average puppy; Right Start™ is designed around yours. Training takes place in your home, where the behavior actually needs to work, not in a pet store or training facility surrounded by unfamiliar dogs. There are no distractions competing for your puppy’s attention and no general instruction that may or may not apply to your specific situation. Linda brings over 40 years of professional experience directly to your home, focused entirely on your puppy’s needs and your family’s goals.

Can puppy training really be done virtually?

Yes, and for young puppies there is a specific reason virtual training may be preferable: it eliminates exposure to pathogens in public settings during the period before vaccinations are complete. Young puppies are immunologically vulnerable, and communal training environments carry real health risks. Virtual Right Start™ sessions happen in the puppy’s own home, in the environment where the training needs to function, without those risks. The program is identical to the in-home format: same six-week structure, same written instructions and video tutorials, same individualized attention from Linda. Families across the country and internationally have completed Right Start™ virtually with strong results.

What if my puppy has a specific behavior problem?

Right Start™ is designed to address the full range of developmental behaviors that puppies present, and there is no puppy behavior problem Linda hasn’t encountered in over 40 years of professional training. The program is not a fixed curriculum applied uniformly to every dog; it is customized to each puppy’s individual needs and each family’s specific goals. If your puppy is exhibiting a particular behavior such as excessive biting, crate distress, housebreaking failure, reactivity, or difficulty settling, that becomes a specific focus within the program. The same applies to virtual clients: the session is built around what your puppy actually needs, not a generic syllabus.

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you are in Carroll County, MD or anywhere in the world, the Right Start™ program begins with a free consultation. Bring your questions about your puppy, your household, and your goals. Linda will help you understand what the program involves and whether it is the right fit.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Other Useful Resources:

AVSAB Position Statement on Socialization for Puppies

The Importance of Proper Puppy Socialization