Boot
camp™
The focused start, for families who need the foundation, not the full four weeks. Exclusively for Stokeshire puppies.
Bootcamp™ vs.
Doodle School™
Both programs share the same Stokeshire standard, the same $200 per day rate, and the same in-home model. The difference is scope, depth, and what your family is ready to commit to.
| Program Detail | Bootcamp™ | Doodle School™ |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10 to 14 days · Scoped at consultation | 4 full weeks · 28 days |
| Focus | Core foundations only: crate, potty, settling, early social exposure | Full imprint curriculum: all foundations plus obedience, grooming, leash, daily exposures |
| Customization | Fully scoped to your goals and timeline in a pre-program consultation | Standardized 4-week curriculum, individually paced |
| Training Depth | Foundation · Not finished | Foundation plus skills · Not finished |
| Ideal Family | Families wanting a smoother transition, not the full commitment | Families wanting the deepest possible imprinting start |
| Investment | $200 per day · Total set at consultation | $200 per day · $5,600 for 4 weeks |
| Availability | Limited · Subject to trainer availability | Limited per quarter |
A steadier beginning.
Without the overwhelm.
Bootcamp™ is Stokeshire's short-form formation experience, designed for families who want an intentional, professional start without the full four-week imprinting commitment of Doodle School™.
During Bootcamp™, your puppy lives full-time with an experienced Stokeshire trainer, receiving consistent guidance, calm routine, and developmentally appropriate support suited to their stage of growth. Every day is shaped by predictability, repetition, and nervous-system awareness.
The duration and scope are set together in your pre-program consultation. No two Bootcamps are identical, because no two families are.
When timing and capacity allow, families may extend their puppy's stay or move into the full Doodle School™ experience for continued formation.
Your puppy lives in a trainer's home, alongside the ordinary rhythms of a household. Every moment of the day becomes an opportunity for gentle, consistent shaping.
Before the program begins, we discuss your family's schedule, lifestyle, and specific concerns. The program is designed around that conversation, not a template.
Bootcamp™ is delivered by several Stokeshire trainers. You confirm your placement preference at checkout. Details below.
Progress, photos, and developmental notes throughout the program, and a final go-home document at graduation covering your puppy's routine, the cues introduced, and what is still developing.
Bootcamp™ is reserved for families who have placed a puppy through Stokeshire. Priority enrollment is extended to Pick-of-the-Litter families.
Where the standard was built.
Five things your puppy
develops in Bootcamp™.
These are introductions, not mastery. Think of it as the first chapter of a book your family will continue writing at home.
Crate Comfort & Potty Rhythm
Structure · Sleep · SecurityThe crate is introduced as a den, a place of rest, safety, and predictability. Timed potty outings build a structured rhythm from the first day. Nighttime settling is established so your puppy arrives already accustomed to the crate rather than fighting it.
Accidents are developmentally normal. Bootcamp™ establishes rhythm, not perfection.
Social Confidence & Healthy Exposure
Resilience · Adaptability · CalmGentle, calibrated experiences drawn from our socialization framework: men, women, children, new surfaces, household sounds, car rides, controlled interactions. Each exposure is matched to the puppy's current threshold, never forced and always positive. This is the work that tends to build emotional flexibility.
Foundational Manners
Kindergarten-level · Age-appropriateLight introductions to Sit, Come, a positive interrupter, calm settling, discouraging jumping, and polite handling. These are introductions, not mastery, introduced gently through positive reinforcement at the puppy's natural developmental pace. The goal is durable association, not performance.
Leash & Handling Basics
Touch · Movement · CooperationCollar and harness desensitization, early leash exposure, and vet-style touch conditioning are woven into daily life. Ears, paws, coat, and teeth are handled consistently and gently so grooming, vet visits, and daily care are already familiar when your puppy comes home.
Emotional Regulation
Settling · Recovery · ResilienceThe most important outcome of Bootcamp™ is not a command, it is a nervous system. We cultivate the puppy's ability to settle after excitement, to recover from novelty without spiraling, and to return to calm. A puppy who can self-regulate is a puppy most families can live with, and most trainers enjoy working with.
Confidence built from the inside out.
Predictable rhythm.
Every single day.
Predictability is a cornerstone of early neurological development. Your puppy's day follows a consistent, gentle flow that balances rest, learning, play, and socialization. Every trainer adjusts the details to the individual puppy. The structure stays constant.
Gentle wake-up and an immediate potty break anchors a predictable rhythm from the first moment of the day.
Post-breakfast engagement is intentionally calm. Regulation before stimulation, a principle that carries through the whole day.
Crate, early cues, touch desensitization, and leash awareness, all brief, positive, and age-appropriate.
Rest and recovery. Puppies consolidate learning in sleep, so this is part of the formation rather than downtime.
Supervised play with intention, building confidence, curiosity, and healthy energy outlets.
Ears, paws, brushing. Daily handling that makes grooming and veterinary care familiar before it is ever needed.
Predictable rest following activity reinforces the crate as a positive, natural part of the rhythm.
Sit, Come, leash awareness, and confidence games. Short, clear, and always positive.
One calibrated exposure: a new surface, environment, or experience matched to the puppy's current threshold.
Puzzles, exploratory play, and a wind-down period to support natural regulation.
Consistent evening feeding and outdoor time reinforces the daily schedule your puppy will carry home.
Cuddles, light brushing, and gentle handling. Bonding through trust at the end of the day.
An early, consistent bedtime supports healthy neurological development and keeps your puppy on a family-friendly schedule before go-home.
Karlee
Batchelder
Karlee is the owner of Elite K9 LLC and a Certified Professional Pet Dog Trainer based in Medford, Wisconsin. She trained at the Highland Canine School for Dog Trainers in an obedience and behavior modification program, and holds a degree in small business entrepreneurship.
She works with Stokeshire as a trainer, educator, and virtual training consultant, and continues with families after Bootcamp™ and Doodle School™ to help them reach their goals at home. Her work is grounded in classical conditioning, positive reinforcement, and canine developmental psychology.
Karlee is one of several trainers who deliver Stokeshire training programs. Meet our full training team.
Where your puppy stays.
Bootcamp™ is delivered by several Stokeshire trainers, and we continue to add to the team. Depending on capacity and your puppy's needs, your puppy may stay with Katie Stokes at our Medford property or with another Stokeshire-approved trainer at an approved home in Wisconsin. In every case, puppies are raised in a home environment with their trainer.
Approved trainers follow Stokeshire's written protocols for biosecurity, sanitation, vaccination, separation, and handling, which are designed for puppies whose vaccine series is not yet complete. They carry commercial liability and animal care coverage. Their homes may include other dogs and, in some cases, cats, livestock, or poultry. For some puppies that exposure is an advantage, and we match accordingly.
Electronic collars, prong collars, choke collars, and intentional pain- or fear-based corrections are prohibited for any puppy in this program.
Your enrollment, updates, documentation, and communication run through Stokeshire throughout, whoever your puppy stays with. You confirm your placement preference at checkout, and you may decline off-site placement.
Priced by the day.
Scoped to your needs.
Bootcamp™ tuition is added to your puppy's placement price and is confirmed and paid at Match Day, once your puppy is matched. Trainer schedules are reserved in advance and placements are limited, so enrollment is not guaranteed by deposit or interest alone.
The final duration, and therefore the final price, is established in your pre-program consultation before any commitment is made. You will know exactly what you are investing before you confirm.
Families who complete Bootcamp™ and wish to continue into the full Doodle School™ program may inquire about extending their puppy's stay, subject to availability and trainer scheduling.
Full payment, cancellation, and program terms are set out in the training agreement you review at checkout.
A steadier start
is worth planning for.
Bootcamp™ placements are limited and confirmed at Match Day. Begin your journey with Stokeshire to secure your puppy and your training placement.
View all training programsDoodle School Photos & Videos from Training.
